ROME (AFP) -- Inter Milan president and former stalwart of Inter's catenaccio defensive system in the 1960s Giacinto Facchetti died on Monday at 64 years old, according to the Milan club.

Facchetti was not only an Inter icon for 18 years, from 1961 to 1979, but was also a mainstay of the Italian national team and earned 94 caps, including 70 as captain.

His career was littered with success.

He was part of the Italy team that won the European Championships in 1968 and two years later reached the final of the World Cup, to be beaten only by the great Pele-inspired Brazil of 1970 -- the team oft regarded as the greatest of all time.

Facchetti's club career was equally lined with gold as he played under the father of the catenaccio (door-bolt) system, Helenio Herrera.

He won the European Cup in 1964 and 1965, four Italian championships between 1963 and 1971 and two Inter-continental cups.

He was not just a great defender, he was also a model of fair play, receiving only one red card throughout his career, and that for ironically applauding the referee.

He was vice-president at Inter from 2001 and became president in January 2004 after the death of his predecessor Peppino Prisco.

He was a one-club player and notched up 634 appearances for the nerazzuri, scoring 79 goals -- an impressive tally for a defender.