[2] At international level, he represented Italy at the 1984 Summer Olympics, at UEFA Euro 1988, and at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Soon a first-team defender, he became a mainstay of the team's starting eleven, playing for Internazionale for a total of 13 seasons.

[7][8] A world-class, tenacious, and combative defender, with excellent man-marking abilities, Ferri usually played in the role of centre-back.

[9] Although he possessed good technique,[10] he preferred to mainly focus on the defensive aspect of the game rather than attempting to build plays from the back;[11] however, he occasionally took free-kicks.

[13] The Dutch former AC Milan striker Marco van Basten named Ferri and Pietro Vierchowod as two of the best defenders he ever faced.