channel4.com - Football Italia




Christian Vieri Christian Vieri was never going to be your typical Italian star. At a young age he moved to Sydney when his father Roberto, himself a professional footballer with Juventus and Sampdoria, accepted a role as player-Coach of Australian side Club Marconi. That upbringing Down Under has had a noticeable effect on him to this day, such as his love of cricket and the thick Australian drawl with which he swore at surprised British journalists at the 2002 World Cup. But that hasn't stopped him becoming a symbol of the modern calcio star - both on and off the pitch, for better or worse. Bobo - as he became known in homage to his father Bob - can split opinion like few others. He may not have the technique of some of his Azzurri counterparts, but he has always made up for that with his strength, power and eye for goal. However, he has also been iconic for his regular appearances in the Press for his frequent tantrums and on-again off-again relationships with supermodels and European princesses. He perhaps embraced the celebrity lifestyle a little too gladly for some fans, but his achievements on the pitch more than make up for it. He was a relatively late bloomer and it wasn't until the age of 22 that he first came to the fore with Atalanta and then Juventus. However, it was when he left Italy for a season-long spell in Spain with Atletico Madrid that we saw the Vieri we all know. His 24 goals in as many appearances sealed his place in the Nazionale and saw him return to Serie A with a huge reputation. His time with Lazio was also short-lived though. A world record transfer fee of £32m - incidentally, the same number can still be seen on the back of his shirt with current club Fiorentina - saw him move north to Inter where the best and worst of Vieri was on display. Nowhere else has his temper been seen so often or his qualities as a scorer been so evident. The striker hit double figures every season he played for the Nerazzurri and broke the 20-goal mark twice. The highlights were undoubtedly his Capocannoniere crown in 2002-03 and the equally impressive 24 strikes in just 23 games the following term. His six-year spell with Inter - by far the longest time he spent with one club - will perhaps be remembered as much for its controversial end than his great performances spearheading the Biscione attack. After his contract was cancelled by mutual consent, he enraged many fans by switching to city rivals Milan. Unfortunately, his career since then has been blighted by a serious injury that saw him miss out on the 2006 World Cup and go through five clubs since the summer of 2005. However, Vieri will always be remembered for his controversial off-the-field lifestyle and the powerful performances in front of goal that he has demonstrated so often during a career that has spanned an amazing 15 different teams.

Words: James Sugrue

<150 Home>