Inter coach Roberto Mancini is adamant that Mauro Icardi's attitude will take him to the top following a match-winning display in Saturday's 2-1 defeat of Roma.
The Argentina international saw several chances go begging over the course of the match at San Siro, proving uncharacteristically wasteful as Roma looked set to take a point back to the capital.
But the 22-year-old kept battling away and eventually found the net two minutes from time, smashing home from close range after a neat turn in the area.
Icardi's persistence paid off and Mancini believes that such a trait can take him to the pinnacle of the game.
He told Sky Sport Italia: "He's [Icardi] already a great striker, but he can become a champion.
"He has the opportunities; sometimes he scores and sometimes he does not, but the great quality is that he shakes off those failures and gets right back out there.
"Today he missed a big chance and soon after scored in a similar situation. Not everyone has that mentality."
Radja Nainggolan's goal 27 minutes from time had the match heading towards a stalemate, a result that would have done little to help either side with their end-of-season aspirations.
And Roma coach Rudi Garcia, who is coming under increasing pressure, thinks a draw would have been the deserved outcome before Icardi added to Hernanes' 15th-minute opener.
"I think a draw would have been a fairer result, but we know at this level a game can be decided by a single incident," the Frenchman said.
"I have nothing to complain about when it comes to the attitude and desire to win in the second half from my lads. We do not have time to complain as we have another game on Wednesday [at Sassuolo]."
