Former Inter forward Iván Zamorano said he had Nerazzurri legend Sandro Mazzola to thank for the famous 1+8 shirt.
The ex-Chile international was joined at Inter Ronaldo in the summer of 1997 and though O Fenomeno was initially happy to take the No. 10 jersey, for his second season he wanted the No .9 which Zamorano was wearing.
Zamorano said he was happy to hand over his shirt to a player he described as “the best forward in the world” but it was Mazzola who came up the genius idea for a replacement.
Zamorano told TyC Sports: “I had the best forward in the world Luís Nazário de Lima Ronaldo as a team-mate and watching him in training was a blast.
“His physicality, technique, speed; the difference in a one-vs.-one he had was incredible.
“In Roni’s first at Inter, he didn’t say anything to me. I continued playing with the No. 9 and he took the No. 10.
“We had the chance to win the UEFA Cup in Paris against Lazio. I scored, Ronaldo and [Javier] Zanetti [did, too]. A real South American party!
“After the World Cup in 1998, Ronaldo returned really lacking in energy, his statement of mind was low and in a chat I had with Sandro Mazzola, he said to me: ‘Why don’t we give Roni the No. 9 and cheer him up? He will be happy’.”
Zamorano made it clear there was no ego involved and he was more than happy to hand over his shirt to his number to his team-mate but just wanted to understand what his new number would be.
He added: “I didn’t argue, I was giving my shirt to the best in the world. ‘But what shirt will I wear’? And Sandro Mazzola says to me: ‘Why don’t you wear the No. 18 and we will put a + in the middle’?
“I asked him ‘Can we do that’? ‘Yes’. So we went with the No 18.
“At first we used tape and made a sign but after the fourth or fifth match the sports manufacturer who made Inter’s shirts started sending them with the 1+8. The most sold shirt in the history of Italian football.”
Zamorano joined Inter in 1996 from Real Madrid and spent five seasons with the Nerazzurri before moving to Mexican side Club América in 2001.