As Antonio Candreva flew down the right flank, his cross went a little awry and forced Mauro Icardi to check his run and turn his back to goal. Instantly controlling the ball, the Argentinian span and fired a shot low into the bottom corner of the net, AS Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker powerless to prevent it putting Inter Milan ahead.
That 67th minute strike was the moment that this enthralling Serie A clash turned in favour of the Nerazzurri, and – despite many observers lauding the substitutions made by boss Luciano Spalletti – it was the club captain that truly made the difference. Ten minutes later he would score again with an almost identical effort, wheeling away in celebration before the ball had even hit the back of the net.
The game eventually ended 3-1 with Matias Vecino ensuring Roma could not find a way back into a match that entertained from start to finish. The hosts hit the woodwork on three separate occasions and had enough chances to take the points themselves, only to see Edin Džeko squander the best of them.
Alisson made some great saves, the Giallorossi should’ve had a penalty when Milan Skriniar tripped Diego Perotti but what they didn’t have was a striker as lethal as Icardi. In truth, few teams do, but it seems the Argentinian national team have finally accepted they too need him, Coach Jorge Sampaoli calling him up shortly after being appointed last summer and keeping him in the squad for August’s World Cup Qualifying matches.
“This victory is a really good sign, now we need to prepare well for the next game too,” Icardi told Mediaset Premium following his brace against Roma. “Now I’ve got my chance to play for Argentina and I am going to enjoy it.”
He unquestionably deserves to do just that. Even accepting the vast array of attacking talent available to the South American side, the fact he only received his first call up from the Albiceleste back in June is frankly ridiculous given his performances for Inter over the past three seasons. Indeed, since the start of 2014/15, Icardi has scored a staggering 66 goals in just 105 Serie A appearances.
What makes that record even more impressive is that he has continued to get better, adding to his skill set to ensure he keeps getting the better of Europe’s toughest defences. Last season saw him look fitter and stronger, improving his aerial prowess and ability to hold off his man, winning far more physical battles than in previous years. He did so without affecting his incredible movement, able to find a pocket of space in the most crowded of penalty areas and embarrassing would-be markers even before he touches the ball.
Those efforts to grow as a player were rewarded with his highest single-season haul of 24 league goals, while Icardi also showcased a much wider range of passing, reflected in a career best tally of eight assists. Having only managed four in 2015/16, he also created twice as many chances (43) while his actual number of passes dropped from 18.2 to 13.3 per 90 minutes.
Like a shark hunting its prey, there is a vicious and clinical minimalism to his approach, rarely involved unless it is to affect the final score. Perhaps the most stand-out statistic from last season is that he took just 109 shots to score his 24 Serie A goals, while the only players to find the net more often needed far more attempts to do so. Torino’s Andrea Belotti required 21 extra efforts to score two more goals, Dries Mertens of Napoli had 39 more shots to net four more times while leading scorer Džeko somehow took 69 more attempts to reach his total of five more goals.
Yet he remains somehow criminally underrated by fans outside of Italy, most judging him for his off-field notoriety rather than his accuracy in front of goal. By now the fact he had an affair with the then-wife of former team-mate Maxi Lopez is a story that has been told over and over more than enough times, but he appears to have now happily settled down with Wanda Nara. The couple have been widely criticised and their relationship has repeatedly been blamed for Icardi’s exclusion from the Argentina set up, yet it has never once affected his efforts on the pitch.
You might not like them, you may not appreciate his tattoos, his social media output or even his approach to life in general, but what you cannot do is ignore his ability to put the ball in the net. Mauro Icardi is one of the world’s best strikers, whether you like it or not.
