7 Stefan de Vrij

His rapid rise in youth did not go unnoticed, as he was offered to Inter and eventually joined the club, where he was regarded as an important member. The Dutchman provided defense stability as well as ball control. His presence was critical to many clean sheets and Milan's first Serie A title in over a decade. De Vrij spent four years at Milan and appeared in 173 games before retiring.

6 Danilo D'Ambrosio

D'Ambrosio was brought in by Inter during Zanetti's final years, and the player came as his replacement, with many believing he would fail to live up to expectations and fail to match Zanetti's competence. He did not start many games in his first season, but his outstanding performance earned him the position of first-team defender.

D'Ambrosio's equalizer goal against Lazio in a 3-2 win at Stadio Olimpico at the end of the the2017-18 season earned Inter qualification for the Champions League after six years, and the player appeared in 266 games, scoring 21 goals.

5 Iván Cordoba

Cordoba, along with Javier Zanetti and Marco Materazzi, was a brick wall for Inter and inspired the club to new heights. He may have been a silent defender, but he complimented well and was named Inter player of the year in 2011. His devotion to the club earned him the position of vice president after Zanetti.

He was a fast, energetic, versatile, and athletic guardian, and his speed and stamina gave him an advantage in 1v1 battles with attackers. He played 324 games for the club, winning five Serie A titles and one Champions League.

4 Maicon

Imagine being so good at defending that you replace Inter's legendary defender Zanetti, but the Argentine was moved to midfield because Maicon's impact as a left-back was immense, and he strolled across the pitch and scored numerous goals with his powerful left foot. He was the most energetic defender during Inter's treble-winning season and Mourinho's go-defender. Maicon spent six years at the club, winning four Serie A titles and appearing in 249games, scoring 20 goals.