Treasure trove
Mattia Buffoli has amassed a private collection of thousands of pieces of Inter Milan memorabilia, ranging from the beautiful to the bizarre. Sheridan Bird meets the man with a talent for striking gold
PHOTGRAPHY Jessica Soffiati
Culture
Who hasn’t got one of their favourite team’s shirts somewhere at home, or a signed photo of a retired legend? But do you possess a slightly disturbing golden candle of an enigmatic Brazilian striker, or a big cuddly toy of a moustachioed 1960s icon? What about a commemorative club penknife? Inter Milan fan Mattia Buffoli does, and much more.
Buffoli, 41, is a lifelong supporter of the Nerazzurri with a catalogued collection of over 1,500 objects. It is an eclectic mix of anything associated with the black and blue half of his city, and he unearthed the vast majority of these treasures at the small markets in and around Milan. “I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better,” he explains. Examples include candles of Adriano, a 7” singles record box, ashtrays from the 1960s and a cloth doll of an inquisitive-looking Sandro Mazzola with sausage-esque legs.
Mattia, a photographer and Inter season-ticket holder, started going to flea markets with his grandparents and parents when he was a child. Back then, he was thrilled if he snapped up a comic or two. Now, decades later, it’s a one-man mission. “I go alone, because I get really into it while I’m there,” he says. “I don’t want distractions; if I am talking with someone else, I might walk past a couple of interesting stalls and I might miss something. I go into my own world and need to focus. I take it seriously.”
a Sandro Mazzola doll (top right)
a Sandro Mazzola doll (top right)
“I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better”
'A 2-disc LP from 1980, documenting the history of the club'
In 2019, Mattia decided to share his discoveries on Instagram and created his page Interabilia. Far from a business venture, it’s all about the passion. “The things I look for don’t have a big resale value. And that’s fine. I am not in this to make money. There are lots of people who deal in match-worn shirts, but not me. Don’t get me wrong, if I were a millionaire I would love to have an Inter shirt from the 1997/98 UEFA Cup victory, worn and signed by Ronaldo, but I don’t spend that kind of money. Match-worn shirts are a very crowded and expensive world.” He does, however, have one pearl – a woollen jersey that he and his friends think Inter winger Mario Corso wore during the 1966/67 season. He bought that for a “good price” but has no intention of selling it.
Most of the items are impeccably organised and stored in his flat in southern Milan. A select few of his trinkets were gifts, including his most cherished. “I’ve got a flag commemorating the 13th league title from 1988/89 which my granddad gave me. That has real sentimental value. Anything connected with the first few seasons of Ronaldo at Inter is also special, because he is my favourite player. I have a poster of R9, some scarves, a piggybank. As for rare stuff, I’ve got early copies of the official Inter magazine from 1962. You don’t find many of those in circulation. They’ve got all the results and statistics, as well as articles, but they’re also wonderful design-wise.” Logically, when out and about, Mattia also finds kits from other teams that he appreciates but doesn’t want to keep. The plan is to put them on his forthcoming Ebay page, Club Nostalgia. If it’s not Inter, it’s for sale, and he has picked up some sought-after Real Madrid, Fiorentina and Germany gear along the way.
Many of Mattia’s regular haunts are in industrial estates or empty car parks outside Milan. But not all are far from the Lombardy capital. The stalls which spring up on Saturdays along the Naviglio Grande (Grand Canal) within the city are worth a perusal. Occasionally, he’ll venture as far as Bologna, which has interesting offerings, and he tells Champions Journal that there is great booty to be found in the markets of the Naples region. “When I find something genuinely rare in a market, it’s a great feeling, because most of the time you don’t happen upon incredible stuff. Normally it’s basic things, from people who have emptied out a house, storeroom or attic. I once found a hand-painted scudetto (shield) from Inter’s 1964/65 title celebrations among a load of tools, including hammers and screws. That was a big moment.”
Mattia has made friends with others who spend their weekend mornings combing through boxes and stomping around tables full of bric-a-brac. This community provides a useful place to ask for opinions on anything you might dig out. So, does he have tips of his own for aspiring bargain-hunters? “Go with an idea of what you are looking for – it saves time. And don’t be afraid to barter. I wasn’t comfortable doing it initially but now I am. They expect a bit of back and forth. However, if you want something, and you think it already has a fair price, don’t try and knock them down; there’s no point. It’s about forming relationships with stall-holders. Who knows, they might have something you will be interested in one day.”
And a few final words of wisdom? “Do it for passion, not because you want to get rich.” You heard the maestro – that weekend lie-in is overrated, so what are you waiting for?
Inter trinkets galore (top left and left); a 1989 3D viewer (top)
Inter trinkets galore (top left and left); a 1989 3D viewer (top)
Buffoli, 41, is a lifelong supporter of the Nerazzurri with a catalogued collection of over 1,500 objects. It is an eclectic mix of anything associated with the black and blue half of his city, and he unearthed the vast majority of these treasures at the small markets in and around Milan. “I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better,” he explains. Examples include candles of Adriano, a 7” singles record box, ashtrays from the 1960s and a cloth doll of an inquisitive-looking Sandro Mazzola with sausage-esque legs.
Mattia, a photographer and Inter season-ticket holder, started going to flea markets with his grandparents and parents when he was a child. Back then, he was thrilled if he snapped up a comic or two. Now, decades later, it’s a one-man mission. “I go alone, because I get really into it while I’m there,” he says. “I don’t want distractions; if I am talking with someone else, I might walk past a couple of interesting stalls and I might miss something. I go into my own world and need to focus. I take it seriously.”
a Sandro Mazzola doll (top right)
a Sandro Mazzola doll (top right)
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“I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better”
'A 2-disc LP from 1980, documenting the history of the club'
Many of Mattia’s regular haunts are in industrial estates or empty car parks outside Milan. But not all are far from the Lombardy capital. The stalls which spring up on Saturdays along the Naviglio Grande (Grand Canal) within the city are worth a perusal. Occasionally, he’ll venture as far as Bologna, which has interesting offerings, and he tells Champions Journal that there is great booty to be found in the markets of the Naples region. “When I find something genuinely rare in a market, it’s a great feeling, because most of the time you don’t happen upon incredible stuff. Normally it’s basic things, from people who have emptied out a house, storeroom or attic. I once found a hand-painted scudetto (shield) from Inter’s 1964/65 title celebrations among a load of tools, including hammers and screws. That was a big moment.”
Mattia has made friends with others who spend their weekend mornings combing through boxes and stomping around tables full of bric-a-brac. This community provides a useful place to ask for opinions on anything you might dig out. So, does he have tips of his own for aspiring bargain-hunters? “Go with an idea of what you are looking for – it saves time. And don’t be afraid to barter. I wasn’t comfortable doing it initially but now I am. They expect a bit of back and forth. However, if you want something, and you think it already has a fair price, don’t try and knock them down; there’s no point. It’s about forming relationships with stall-holders. Who knows, they might have something you will be interested in one day.”
And a few final words of wisdom? “Do it for passion, not because you want to get rich.” You heard the maestro – that weekend lie-in is overrated, so what are you waiting for?
Inter trinkets galore (top left and left); a 1989 3D viewer (top)
Inter trinkets galore (top left and left); a 1989 3D viewer (top)
Buffoli, 41, is a lifelong supporter of the Nerazzurri with a catalogued collection of over 1,500 objects. It is an eclectic mix of anything associated with the black and blue half of his city, and he unearthed the vast majority of these treasures at the small markets in and around Milan. “I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better,” he explains. Examples include candles of Adriano, a 7” singles record box, ashtrays from the 1960s and a cloth doll of an inquisitive-looking Sandro Mazzola with sausage-esque legs.
Mattia, a photographer and Inter season-ticket holder, started going to flea markets with his grandparents and parents when he was a child. Back then, he was thrilled if he snapped up a comic or two. Now, decades later, it’s a one-man mission. “I go alone, because I get really into it while I’m there,” he says. “I don’t want distractions; if I am talking with someone else, I might walk past a couple of interesting stalls and I might miss something. I go into my own world and need to focus. I take it seriously.”
a Sandro Mazzola doll (top right)
a Sandro Mazzola doll (top right)
“I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better”
'A 2-disc LP from 1980, documenting the history of the club'
Many of Mattia’s regular haunts are in industrial estates or empty car parks outside Milan. But not all are far from the Lombardy capital. The stalls which spring up on Saturdays along the Naviglio Grande (Grand Canal) within the city are worth a perusal. Occasionally, he’ll venture as far as Bologna, which has interesting offerings, and he tells Champions Journal that there is great booty to be found in the markets of the Naples region. “When I find something genuinely rare in a market, it’s a great feeling, because most of the time you don’t happen upon incredible stuff. Normally it’s basic things, from people who have emptied out a house, storeroom or attic. I once found a hand-painted scudetto (shield) from Inter’s 1964/65 title celebrations among a load of tools, including hammers and screws. That was a big moment.”
Mattia has made friends with others who spend their weekend mornings combing through boxes and stomping around tables full of bric-a-brac. This community provides a useful place to ask for opinions on anything you might dig out. So, does he have tips of his own for aspiring bargain-hunters? “Go with an idea of what you are looking for – it saves time. And don’t be afraid to barter. I wasn’t comfortable doing it initially but now I am. They expect a bit of back and forth. However, if you want something, and you think it already has a fair price, don’t try and knock them down; there’s no point. It’s about forming relationships with stall-holders. Who knows, they might have something you will be interested in one day.”
And a few final words of wisdom? “Do it for passion, not because you want to get rich.” You heard the maestro – that weekend lie-in is overrated, so what are you waiting for?
Inter trinkets galore (top left and left); a 1989 3D viewer (top)
Inter trinkets galore (top left and left); a 1989 3D viewer (top)
