Ciriaco - The Pyjamas | OneFootball

Sometimes, the meme takes on a life of its own. Even before social media existed. There is a reason why the footballing legacy of a Swiss midfielder has been overshadowed by a single scene from a film.

Massimo Moratti wanted to completely transform the way his Inter side played. When he took over the Club in early 1995, Ottavio Bianchi was already at the helm. He had previously guided Napoli to the Scudetto with Diego Maradona in his side. There was no Maradona in that Inter side, however: instead, their attacking options included Branca, Ganz and Benny Carbone.

Bianchi soon departed and was replaced by the Switzerland head coach, whose national team played attractive, attacking football in a zonal system, as virtually everyone did by then. The man in question was Englishman Roy Hodgson, and one of his masterstrokes had been turning an attack-minded midfielder into a holding player. Ciriaco Sforza, stationed in front of the defence, was the secret behind that Switzerland side.

After securing European qualification in the final seconds of the final game through a Delvecchio goal, Hodgson made Sforza his main transfer request the following summer. At the time, the midfielder was playing for Bayern Munich. His first Serie A appearance brought his first goal: a stunning long-range strike in Udine that secured victory on the opening day. Udinese 0-1 Inter, with Sforza the match-winner. It looked like the beginning of a perfect marriage, but it would remain the only real high point. Well, almost.

His tactical partnership with Paul Ince, the star of the team, proved difficult. Despite playing regularly, Sforza never truly shone. He was eventually sold to Kaiserslautern on 22 July, by which time the new season was already underway and personalised shirts were available in sports shops.

That same July, three Italian comedians and lifelong Inter fans were shooting a film almost for fun. Tre uomini e una gamba would go on to become one of the biggest commercial successes in the history of Italian cinema. It also featured a scene that would become immortal. Giacomo had to spend a night in hospital but did not have any pyjamas, so he borrowed a pair from his friend Aldo. The rest is history:

Nearly 30 years after the film hit cinemas, Sforza - a surname steeped in Milanese nobility - still holds a unique place in Italian football pop culture. And it has little to do with what Ciriaco produced on the pitch.