Chino is celebrating a milestone birthday: here’s what people are saying about him "Recoba is everything I love about football. He used to say to me: 'President, you’re paying me too much'." This is how Massimo Moratti remembers Álvaro Recoba, ‘El Chino’, who turns 50 today: pure talent, an unpredictable genius and a symbol of a brand of football capable of inspiring dreams. From Uruguay come almost legendary tales of his childhood: a barrage of goals, matches turned around single-handedly and a free-spirited, unconventional character. Discovered by Rafa Perrone, he came through the ranks at Danubio and established himself at Nacional, before making the big move to Europe.It was 1997 when Moratti brought him to Inter alongside Ronaldo. His debut at San Siro was the stuff of movies: he came on and, with a brace, turned the game around against Brescia, instantly winning over the fans. “He scored incredible goals, he was brilliant and entertaining,” Moratti would say.An inconsistent yet unique talent, Recoba also left his mark on his teammates: Javier Zanetti, as reported on Corriere.it, remembers him as “one of the purest players ever seen”, whilst Christian Vieri credits him with dozens of assists and decisive moments.His spell at Venezia in 1999, brought about by Giuseppe Marotta, was also unforgettable: 11 goals in 19 matches and a narrow escape from relegation, with performances worthy of an absolute star. In Nerazzurri colours, he scored 72 goals, many of them spectacular, such as the famous lob from halfway against Empoli. Cartoon-like moments, capable of igniting an entire generation of fans.Today, Recoba is manager at Deportivo Táchira, but above all he remains the symbol of a romantic brand of football: imperfect, unpredictable, yet capable of leaving a lasting mark.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting