Santon, born in 1991, came from Inter Milan's youth training.
As a teenager, Santon burst onto the scene in 2008.
In the position of left-back, he was steady in defense and skilled in passing, once marking Manchester United's C Luo in a Champions League match, drawing widespread attention!
During Mourinho's time coaching Inter, he once evaluated Santon like this:
"In 15 years, when Santon has experienced around 500 high-level professional matches, he will grow to be a world-class defender as great as Maldini, there's no doubt about it."
That year, Santon and Balotelli were close friends.
One was a defender and the other a forward, both dubbed as Inter's Twin Stars by Italian football.
The more composed and upright Santon was also more beloved by Inter's fans, being called the "Crown Prince" of Meazza!
Unfortunately, before the Crown Prince could ascend, he faced the greatest hurdle for a professional player—injuries.
