Christian Vieri

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Christian Vieri

Personal information
Full name	Christian Vieri
Date of birth	July 12, 1973 (1973-07-12) (age 36)
Place of birth	Bologna, Italy
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
	Marconi Stallions
	Torino
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1991–1992	Torino	7	(1)
1992–1993	Pisa	18	(2)
1993–1994	Ravenna	32	(12)
1994–1995	Venezia	29	(11)
1995–1996	Atalanta	19	(7)
1996–1997	Juventus	23	(8)
1997–1998	Atlético Madrid	24	(24)
1998–1999	Lazio	22	(12)
1999–2005	Internazionale	144	(103)
2005–2006	Milan	8	(1)
2006	Monaco	7	(3)
2006–2007	Atalanta	7	(2)
2007–2008	Fiorentina	26	(6)
2008–2009	Atalanta	9	(2)
Total		375	(194)
National team
1992–1996	Italy U-21	22	(11)
1997–2005	Italy	49	(23)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Christian Vieri (born 12 July 1973) is a retired Italian footballer.

[edit] Early life

Born in Bologna, Italy, his family moved to Australia in the 1970s, residing in the suburb of Wetherill Park in South-Western Sydney and he attended Prairiewood High School. His father, Roberto Vieri played for Sydney-based club Marconi Stallions. His brother, Massimiliano Vieri, is also a professional footballer and was an Australian international in 2004. Vieri played for Marconi Juniors when he was a child but his family soon moved back to Italy.

[edit] Club career

Vieri started his playing career at Marconi Stallions. While there, he was spotted by Torino and played his first Serie A game the next year for the Turin team. Vieri made six appearances in the league as well as in the Coppa Italia. In November 1992, he was sold to Serie C club, Pisa Calcio, scoring fifty goals. Another season went by, he then moved to Ravenna in Serie D, scoring 12 goals. He was subsequently sold to Venezia in Serie F, scoring 11 goals. Another move followed for the youngster, this time to Atalanta where he scored seven goals. A change of luck came when he was spotted by Juventus in the 1996–97 season. He made 23 appearances and scored eight goals in Serie A, and six goals in ten matches in Europe, making him joint topscorer for Juventus that season along with Alen Bokšić.

Vieri was on the move once again, this time it was to Spain and Atlético Madrid. Amazingly, he scored a total of 24 goals in 24 league appearances for Atlético (and an additional five goals from seven appearances in Europe), which led him to the win the Pichichi Trophy, as the league's top scorer. After the 1998 World Cup, he moved to Lazio, where he was outstanding in his first season, scoring 12 goals in Serie A and one in Europe, winning the Cup Winners' Cup in the final of which came his sole European goal that season. But it all changed when he was spotted by Inter and its chairman Massimo Moratti. Vieri's move to Internazionale was for a (then) world record transfer fee of £32 million. Then manager Marcello Lippi had requested the player after their successful season together at Juventus.

At Inter, Vieri formed a potentially dangerous partnership with Ronaldo up front, but because of injuries to both players, they were not able to play together often. He was impressive in his first couple of seasons, but constant mangerial changes meant that Inter could not challenge for the Scudetto. It was under disciplined Argentinian coach, Héctor Cúper, that Vieri and Inter really began to flourish and challenge for honours. Vieri was made the focal point of the attack and scored 22 goals in 25 games in the 2001–02 season as Inter narrowly missed out on the Scudetto after their infamous last day defeat to Lazio. The following season he was Serie A Capocannoniere after scoring an impressive 24 goals in just 23 appearances. In addition, he scored 3 goals in Inter's Champions League campaign and formed a potent partnership with Hernán Crespo. He scored both of Inter's goals in the quarter final victory over Valencia. Sadly, Vieri was injured during the 2nd leg of this game and therefore played no part in the semi final defeat to city rivals Milan.

The following year, Cúper was sacked only a few games into the season and was replaced by Alberto Zaccheroni. Vieri did not get along with his new manager and also had many of the Inter fans turn on him after his dip in form. In addition, he had shown his discontent at the sale of strike partner Crespo to Chelsea. When Roberto Mancini replaced Zaccheroni in the summer of 2004, Vieri played the majority games upfront with Adriano. It was clear to many though that the injury he had sustained against Valencia had taken its toll on Vieri and he was no longer as sharp in front of goal, despite his respectable goal output.

In July 2005, Vieri and Internazionale came to a mutual agreement to terminate his contract with the club. He was then signed by cross-town rivals Milan, but left the rossoneri - where he was not a regular starter - after just six months, joining French side Monaco in order to play regularly and gain a place on Italy's roster for the 2006 World Cup. However, he suffered a serious knee injury while playing for Monaco in 2006, which required extensive surgery and ruled out the possibility of playing in his third consecutive FIFA World Cup.

Vieri agreed a one-year deal with Sampdoria on 6 July 2006. However, Vieri returned to Atalanta on 29 August, signing a one-year minimum wage contract worth 1500€ per month. Although he received a paltry salary, Vieri was to earn another €100,000 for every goal he scores, leaving chairman Ivan Ruggeri to comment, "If things go well, Vieri will cost me €2 million." Vieri scored 2 goals in 7 substitute appearances, including one long-range goal.

In June 2007, Atalanta announced they chose not to offer a contract extension to Vieri. His contract therefore ended on 30 June and was signed on a one-year deal with Fiorentina. He was officially presented to the press on 21 July 2007.^[1][2] He signed a one-year-contract for Atalanta on 30 June 2008. However, both Atalanta and Vieri mutually agreed that his contract will be rescinded, after only making nine appearances.^[3] He announced his retirement on 20 October 2009.^[4]

However, one week after announcing retirement, Vieri was announced in talks with Botafogo-SP to play the Campeonato Paulista in 2010.^[5] The move was successively denied by Vieri himself. On November 2009 he was confirmed to be in Brazil in order to hold talks for a six-month contract with third division outfit Boavista Sport Club.^[6]

[edit] International career

Vieri has scored 23 goals in 49 matches for Italy and played for his country at the 1998 World Cup, scoring five times, and the 2002 World Cup, scoring four times, though he endured a less successful tournament at Euro 2004, whilst he missed Euro 2000 and 2006 World Cup through injury. Vieri is generally considered to be Italy's greatest pure striker of recent times despite strong competition, and is one of Italy's most prolific World Cup goal scorers. He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.

Vieri received his first international cap during the 1996–97 season after some impressive displays for Juventus. He scored a key goal for Italy in the play off against Russia during qualification for the 1998 World Cup. At the finals of the tournament in France he formed a strong partnership with Roberto Baggio. Vieri opened the scoring against Chile after a delightful assist from his strike partner. He went on to score 3 more goals during the group stages. Vieri scored Italy's only goal in the round of 16 match against Norway. He scored Italy's fourth penalty in the quarterfinal shooutout against France but Luigi Di Biagio missed the fifth and Italy were eliminated.

Vieri missed out on Euro 2000 after suffering a recurrence of an old thigh injury, during the 4th place playoff with Parma at the end of the 1999–2000 season after a collision with Gianluigi Buffon, who would also miss out on the tournament.

Italy played Vieri as a lone striker in the 2002 World Cup, scoring four goals in four games. He managed a brace in the opening game against Ecuador and scored Italy's only goal in the 2-1 defeat to Croatia despite having a previous goal controversially ruled out for offside. In the Round of 16 match against South Korea he opened the scoring in the 18th minute, scoring a powerful header from a Francesco Totti corner. Italy led the game until the Koreans equalised 3 minutes before the end. Italy was eventually eliminated by South Korea by a golden goal.

Vieri was once again the main striker in Italy's ill fated Euro 2004 campaign. However, this time he did not fare so well, scoring no goals as Italy were eliminated in the first round.

Vieri also missed 2006 World Cup after suffering a knee meniscus injury in a Ligue 1 match against Paris Saint-Germain on 26 March 2006. Although Vieri would not necessarily have been a starter for Lippi's side, it was widely accepted that Vieri would have been selected in their squad since Lippi had picked him throughout qualifying and was very fond of the player after their time together at Juventus and Inter.

[edit] Career statistics

As of 10 July 2009.

[edit] International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	March 29, 1997	Trieste, Italy	Moldova	1 – 0	3 – 0	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.	October 29, 1997	Moscow, Russia	Russia	1 – 0	1 – 1	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.	June 11, 1998	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux, France	Chile	1 – 0	2 – 2	1998 FIFA World Cup
4.	June 17, 1998	Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier, France	Cameroon	1 – 0	3 – 0	1998 FIFA World Cup
5.	June 17, 1998	Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier, France	Cameroon	2 – 0	3 – 0	1998 FIFA World Cup
6.	June 23, 1998	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Austria	1 – 0	2 – 1	1998 FIFA World Cup
7.	June 27, 1998	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	Norway	1 – 0	1 – 0	1998 FIFA World Cup
8.	September 5, 1998	Liverpool, England	Wales	2 – 0	2 – 0	UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
9.	June 5, 1999	Bologna, Italy	Wales	4 – 0	4 – 0	UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
10.	September 8, 1999	Napoli, Italy	Denmark	1 – 0	2 – 3	UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
11.	June 3, 2002	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan	Ecuador	1 – 0	2 – 0	2002 FIFA World Cup
12.	June 3, 2002	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan	Ecuador	2 – 0	2 – 0	2002 FIFA World Cup
13.	June 8, 2002	Kashima Stadium, Kashima, Japan	Croatia	1 – 0	1 – 2	2002 FIFA World Cup
14.	June 18, 2002	Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, South Korea	Korea Republic	1 – 0	1 – 2	2002 FIFA World Cup
15.	November 11, 2002	Pescara, Italy	Turkey	1 – 0	1 – 1	Friendly
16.	March 29, 2003	Palermo, Italy	Finland	1 – 0	2 – 0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
17.	March 29, 2003	Palermo, Italy	Finland	2 – 0	2 – 0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
18.	August 8, 2003	Stuttgart, Germany	Germany	1 – 0	1 – 0	Friendly
19.	October 11, 2003	Reggio Calabria, Italy	Azerbaijan	1 – 0	4 – 0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
20.	February 2, 2004	Palermo, Italy	Czech Republic	1 – 0	2 – 2	Friendly
21.	March 31, 2004	Braga, Portugal	Portugal	1 – 1	2 – 1	Friendly
22.	April 28, 2004	Genoa, Italy	Spain	1 – 1	1 – 1	Friendly
23.	October 12, 2005	Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce, Italy	Moldova	1 – 0	2 – 1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit] Honours

Juventus

• Serie A: 1
  

1997

• Supercoppa Italiana: 1
  

1997

• Intercontinental Cup: 1
  

1996

• UEFA Super Cup: 1
  

1996

Lazio

• Supercoppa Italiana: 1
  

1998

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1
  

1999

Internazionale

• Supercoppa Italiana: 1
  

2005

• Coppa Italia: 1
  

2005

Italy

• UEFA Under-21 European Championship: 1
  

1994

Individual

• Pichichi Trophy: 1
  

1998

• Serie A: Top Scorer: 1
  

2003

• Italian Footballer of the Year: 1
  

1999, 2002

• FIFA 100: 1
  

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Atalanta B.C. Official Player Profile (Italian)
• Christian Vieri National Team Stats at FIGC.it (Italian)
• Vieri's Career Statistics
• Inter Archive

Italy squad v • d • e Italy squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup 1 Toldo • 2 Bergomi • 3 P. Maldini • 4 Cannavaro • 5 Costacurta • 6 Nesta • 7 Pessotto • 8 Torricelli • 9 Albertini • 10 Del Piero • 11 D. Baggio • 12 Pagliuca • 13 Cois • 14 Di Biagio • 15 Di Livio • 16 Di Matteo • 17 Moriero • 18 R. Baggio • 19 Inzaghi • 20 Chiesa • 21 Vieri • 22 Buffon • Coach: C. Maldini v • d • e Italy squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Buffon • 2 Panucci • 3 Maldini • 4 Coco • 5 Cannavaro • 6 Zanetti • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Inzaghi • 10 Totti • 11 Doni • 12 Abbiati • 13 Nesta • 14 Di Biagio • 15 Iuliano • 16 Di Livio • 17 Tommasi • 18 Delvecchio • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Montella • 21 Vieri • 22 Toldo • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Trapattoni v • d • e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Buffon • 2 Panucci • 3 Oddo • 4 Zanetti • 5 Cannavaro • 6 Ferrari • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Vieri • 10 Totti • 11 Corradi • 12 Toldo • 13 Nesta • 14 Fiore • 15 Favalli • 16 Camoranesi • 17 Di Vaio • 18 Cassano • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Perrotta • 21 Pirlo • 22 Peruzzi • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Trapattoni