Before Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reshaped modern football and engaged in a decade-long Ballon d’Or rivalry throughout the 2010s, there was another superstar who terrified defenders and captivated fans across the globe.

After making his mark in Europe with PSV Eindhoven, Ronaldo Nazario made a world-record move to Barcelona in 1996. Just one year later, Inter Milan shattered that record to bring the Brazilian to the San Siro.

French midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, who played alongside Ronaldo during his time in Italy, recalls what it was like to team up with the man known as ‘Il Fenomeno’. In his view, not even Messi or the Portuguese Ronaldo can match the Brazilian’s brilliance.

“Within a year of joining Inter from Paris Saint-Germain, I had already become one of the team’s stars,” Djorkaeff told FourFourTwo. “One day, president Massimo Moratti asked to have a word with me.

“While the rest of the squad continued training, we walked around the pitch for nearly an hour. Moratti told me he had the chance to sign Ronaldo.”

“He mentioned the price—about £25 million. I told him, ‘That’s cheap.’ It was the most expensive transfer ever at that time, but I insisted we needed him. Moratti was anxious, unsure if the signing might prompt other players to ask for improved contracts.

“For me, it was an extraordinary opportunity to play alongside the best striker in the world. My first interaction with Ronaldo was fantastic—I helped him settle in, and we clicked from the very first touch of the ball.”

“I don’t want to compare him to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but Il Fenomeno was the best,” Djorkaeff continued. “Only a handful of players have been able to change the course of a game on their own—Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, and in the ’90s, definitely Ronaldo.”

Djorkaeff, who earned 82 caps for France, counts Inter’s UEFA Cup triumph as one of his career highlights, especially since the final took place in Paris, just a month before the 1998 World Cup began.

“It was something special,” he admitted. “Facing Lazio in the final at the Parc des Princes was incredible—playing in my home city made it even more meaningful.

“I grew up in PSG’s stadium, where my father played. There’s a photo from the day the stadium was inaugurated, published in L’Equipe—my brother and I were on the pitch. They were looking for kids for a photo feature, and we happened to be there.

“To return there years later for a European final was unforgettable. After the match, we had a celebration, and I went for a late-night walk along the Champs-Elysees with Moratti. It was 3am, no one recognised us—it felt magical.”

— Ed McCambridge, Staff Writer