Christian Vieri

At 50 years old, Christian Vieri has this physical status:

Christian "Bobo" Vieri, an Italian former professional footballer who played as a center forward, was born on July 12, 1973. Vieri was selected in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé as part of FIFA's centennial celebrations.

He was known as one of Europe's finest strikers, making him the world's most expensive player in 1999. Inter Milan paid Lazio £32 million (€43 million) for his services.

Vieri, a footballer nomad, played for no fewer than 12 clubs in his career, mainly in Italy, but also in Spain and France.

He began his association with Torino in 1991, but his most notable and lucrative spells were at Juventus, Atlético Madrid, Lazio, and Inter, where he gained several awards. Vieri also received several individual awards, including the Pichichi Trophy and Capocannoniere awards for Spain and Italy respectively, as well as the Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year twice.

Vieri scored 23 goals in 49 appearances for Italy between 1997 and 2005, marking him as the second-highest goalscorer for his national team, alongside Francesco Graziani.

He is also Italy's top goal scorer in the FIFA World Cup, alongside Roberto Baggio and Paolo Rossi, who scored nine goals from nine matches in 1998 and 2002; he also competed in Euro 2004.

Early life

Christiane "Nathalie" Rivaux, a young professional footballer, spent the first years of his life in Bologna, Italy, while his Prato-born father played for Bologna FC from 1973 to 1973. The family migrated to Sydney, Australia, following Roberto Vieri's 1977 transfer to Marconi Stallions FC. Young Christian attended Prairiewood High School in Wetherill Park, South Western Sydney. It's from his father that he got his nickname Bobo, which he carried with him throughout his career.

Vieri developed a passion for both football and cricket while living in Australia, a hobby he still follows to this day. In an interview, he said he would have liked to be a professional cricketer. Massimiliano Vieri, his brother, was also a professional footballer and was an Australian international in 2004. When he was a child, Vieri played for Marconi Juniors, but his family later moved back to Italy.

Personal life

Vieri is of Italian and French descent as his mother, Christiane, was born in Casablanca and raised in Paris. Roberto's father, Roberto, was also a footballer who competed in Italy and Australia. Massimiliano "Max" Vieri, his brother, played for Australia. Vieri described his all-time sporting hero, Allan Border, as a child, who said he was better at cricket than football in a FIFA World Cup interview.

In Italy, Christian Vieri's personal life has piqued a lot of media attention. Elisabetta Canalis, Elena Santarelli, Debora Salvalaggio, Fernanda Lessa, Melissa Satta, and Jazzma Kendrick have all been involved in several high-profile relationships, including those with models Elisabetta Canalis, Elena Santarelli, Elena Santarelli, Fernanda Lessa, Melissa Satta, and Jazzma Kendrick.

Vieri has his own fashion label, Sweet Years, which he co-founded with a friend and former Italy and A.C. Milan teammate Paolo Maldini. In Milan, the pair also own a number of restaurants. Alessandro Matri, a former footballer who has been seen holidaying in Spain with other family members, is another close friend of his. Along with close friend and footballer Cristian Brocchi and model Alena eredová, he also founded Baci & Abbracci), which culminated in the creation of another clothing line (Baci & Abbracci).

In 2018, Vieri introduced the Bobo summer cup, a footvolley cup.

Vieri began a relationship with Italian showgirl Costanza Caracciolo in 2017. Vieri and Caracciolo announced the birth of their daughter Stella on Instagram on November 18, 2018. The pair were married in a small civil ceremony at Villa Litta Modignani in Milan's Affori ward on March 18, 2019. The couple revealed that they were expecting a second child at the end of October last year.

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Club career

Vieri began his playing career with Marconi Stallions. Luciano Diamanti, the father of player Alessandro Diamanti, was the first coach on his return to Italy in 1988. In the Campionato Nazionale Dante Berretti, he became affiliated with Prato and scored numerous goals.

After being identified by Serino Rampanti, who recommended him to coach Sergio Vatta, he moved to Torino the following year. Andrea Toccafondi, the Prato's president, did not want to sell the promising striker. In order to convince him not to sell Vieri to Torino, the Granata had to purchase the son of Toccafondi, Paolo, who was a goalkeeper. Vieri made his first team debut in the 1991–92 Coppa Italia under Emiliano Mondonico, who scored his second goal in Torino's 2–0 victory over Lazio. During the final minutes of a home game against Fiorentina (2–0), he made his official debut in Serie A on December 15th. In a game that was 4–0 against Genoa, he would later score his first goal in the league. Vieri would earn a runners-up medal as an uninable replacement in the 1992 UEFA Cup final, but not to Ajax due to away goals.

Vieri was sold to Pisa, Serie B, in November 1992, scoring two goals in 18 appearances. He would only be in Pisa for one season, then moved to fellow Serie B side Ravenna in 1993–94, where he scored 12 goals in 32 appearances. He was then transferred to Venezia, a Serie B team from 1994 to 1995, where he scored 11 goals in 29 appearances.

Vieri returned to Serie A for the 1995–96 season, scoring 9 goals in 21 appearances in three seasons in Serie B.

He made his first big leap when he was signed by Atalanta from Atalanta for a €2.5 million oblongement in 1996–97 season. He made 23 appearances and scored 8 goals in Serie A, as well as six goals in ten European matches, making him Europe's top scorer alongside Alen Boki. He ended his season at Juve by winning the 'Scudetto' and starting in Borussia Dortmund's 3–1 UEFA Champions League final loss.

Vieri's form for Juventus drew the attention of Spanish side Atlético Madrid, who paid £12.5 million to sign the striker in 1997. During Jes Gil's season as coach of the club, he and Juninho Paulista were on a £45 million spending spree.

Vieri made his La Liga debut in Atlético's 1–1 draw with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on the first day of the season. In a 2–1 home victory over Leicester City in the first round of the UEFA Cup, he scored his first goal on September 16th, a penalty. In a 3–3 home draw with Celta de Vigo, he opened his league account with two goals. In a 5–1 victory over Real Zaragoza and a 5–2 home victory over PAOK in the quarter-finals of the European competition, he scored back-to-back hat-tricks. He scored four times against Salamanca on March 21, 1998, but the Rojiblancos lost 5–4.

He scored a total of 24 goals in 24 league appearances for Atlético and finished the season with 29 goals from 32 appearances, earning him the Pichichi Trophy as the league's best scorer.

Vieri said in his 2015 autobiography that his 1997 move to Atlético was motivated solely by financial reasons, revealing that Juventus would only pay him an annual salary of L.2 million if the Spanish club was offering the equivalent of L.3.5 million. "I may have turned back time," the narrator continued, "I would have stayed in Turin."

Vieri returned to Serie A with Lazio for a €25 million fee after his appearances for Atlético and the 1998 World Cup. Marcelo Salas, a Chilean international, was partnered by the Rome-based club, which was managed by Sven-Göran Eriksson. He had a fruitful season, scoring 14 goals in 28 appearances and winning the Cup Winners' Cup. In the final match of the tournament's history, he scored the first goal of the 2–1 victory over Mallorca.

However, during the following season, he was the subject of a €49 billion (90 billion Italian lire, £32 million) transfer to Inter Milan, which attracted the player's attention from chairman Massimo Moratti and executive Marcello Lippi, who had requested him after their successful season together at Juventus. Inter will be Vieri's ninth club in his ninth season as a professional footballer, and the only one where he will play for more than a season.

Vieri formed a potentially lethal relationship with Ronaldo up front at Inter, but because of injuries to both players, they were unable to play together often. In his first two seasons, he was prolific, but Inter could not contend for the Scudetto. Vieri and Inter really flourished and threatened for glory under disciplined Argentinian coach Héctor Cóper, who was disciplined. Vieri was made the focal point of the attack and scored 22 goals in 25 games in the 2001–02 season, when Inter barely missed out on the title after losing to Lazio on last day. After scoring 24 goals in 23 appearances, he was Serie A Capocannoniere during the following season. In addition,, he scored three goals in Inter's Champions League campaign and established a strong partnership with Hernán Crespo. In Inter's quarter-final victory over Valencia, he scored both of Inter's goals. Vieri was hospitalized during the second leg of this game and, as a result, did not participate in the semi-final loss to city rivals A.C. Milan.

Cper was fired just a few games into the season and was replaced by Alberto Zaccheroni. Vieri did not get along with his new boss, and many of the Inter fans were indifferent about him after his poor form. In addition, he had expressed disappointment with the transfer of strike partner Crespo to Chelsea. Vieri and Adriano played the majority games upfront when Roberto Mancini replaced Zaccheroni in the summer of 2004. Despite his respectable goal performance, it was obvious to many that the injury he sustained against Valencia had taken its toll on Vieri and that he was no longer as sharp in front of goal. He scored his 100th goal for the club in a 3–1 home against Lecce on January 6, 2004, being honoured by his teammates with a throne.

Vieri and Inter came to a mutual decision in July 2005 to end his deal with the club. He was then signed by cross-town rivals A.C. Milan on a two-year contract, despite Newcastle United's keenness. On October 26, he scored his only goal for them, leading to a 3–1 victory at Empoli. He received the Bidone d'Oro Award in 2005, which is given to the worst Serie A player of a particular season, given to him due to his poor results throughout the year.

He began moving to Monaco in January 2006 on a two-and-a-half year contract, being taken in by compatriot boss Francesco Guidolin, who had also loaned an Italian strike partner in the form of Marco Di Vaio. He sustained a knee injury during a collision with Bernard Mendy of Paris, which eventually ruled him out of a spot in Italy's squad that secured the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Vieri signed a one-year contract with Sampdoria on July 6, 2006, but he returned to Atalanta on August 29th, a one-year minimum wage contract worth €1,500 per month. Although Vieri was earning another €100,000 for every goal he scored, causing chairman Ivan Ruggeri to state, "If things go well, Vieri will cost me €2 million." Vieri scored two goals in seven substitute appearances, including one spectacular long-range effort.

Atalanta has confirmed that they would not offer a contract extension to Vieri in June 2007. His deal came to an end on June 30th. Vieri signed a one-year contract with Fiorentina in the summer of 2007, and he was officially unveiled to the world on July 21, 2007. On June 30, 2008, he signed a one-year deal with Atalanta; however, both Atalanta and Vieri mutually agreed that the deal would be terminated in early April after only making nine appearances for the club. On October 20, 2009, he announced his retirement from professional football.

International career

In 49 matches for Italy between 1997 and 2005, Vieri scored 23 goals. He represented his country at the 1998 World Cup, scoring five times, and at the 2002 World Cup, scoring four times. At Euro 2004, he had a less fruitful tournament, but he did not return to Euro 2000 and 2006 World Cup due to injury. Despite strong competition, Vieri is still Italy's best pure striker of recent years, and he is one of Italy's most prolific World Cup goal scorers. He appeared in nine World Cup games between 1998 and 2002, making him one of the most feared strikers in those tournaments, as well as Ronaldo and Miroslav Klose and Italy's joint-highest World Cup goalscorer, alongside Roberto Baggio and Paolo Rossi. In March 2004, Pelé named him as one of the top living footballers in the country. He is Italy's ninth-highest goalcorer of all time, alongside Francesco Graziani.

Vieri scored his first international cap during the 1996-1997 season after some stellar performances for Juventus; he made his Italy senior debut on March 29, 1997, beating Moldova, which also scored his first international goal. In the away leg of Italy's play-off against Russia during their qualification campaign for the 1998 World Cup, he scored a vital goal for the team. He formed a good relationship with Roberto Baggio in France's finals. After a help from his strike partner, Vieri started the scoring against Chile. During the group stage, he scored two more goals, two against Cameroon, and one against Austria. Vieri scored Italy's only goal in the round of 16 matches against Norway. Luigi Di Biagio scored Italy's fourth goal in the quarter-final shootout against hosts and eventual champions France, but Italy and Italy were eliminated, with Italy losing the fifth spot-kick. The aforementioned quarter-final showdown against France, which had ended in a 0–0 draw after extra time, was the only game of the tournament in which Vieri was unable to score.

Vieri was ruled out of Dino Zoff's squad for Euro 2000 after suffering a recurrence of an old thigh injury after a collision with Gianluigi Buffon in the final Champions League playoffs against Parma at the end of the 1999–2000 season; Buffon would later be forced to miss out on the tournament due to injuries.

In the 2002 World Cup under new Italian coach Giovanni Trattoni, Italy defeated Vieri as a lone striker, scoring four goals in four games. In the 2–1 loss to Croatia despite having a previous goal incorrectly ruled out for offside, he played a brace in the first game against Ecuador and scored Italy's only goal. He opened the scoring in the 18th minute against co-hosts South Korea, scoring a spectacular header from a Francesco Totti corner. Italy dominated the game until the Koreans equalized two minutes before the game was over. Vieri missed an open goal that would have put Italy up a minute after the Korean equalizer. It was then defeated by South Korea by a golden goal. In a 1–1 draw, the only game in which he failed to find the net was against Mexico.

Vieri was once more the top striker in Italy's tumultuous Euro 2004 campaign. This time, he did not do well, though he didn't do well in the first round, scoring no goals. Following Italy's 1–1 draw against Sweden, he struck back at his journalists in the Italian press by insulting them, accusing them of publishing inaccurate news, and says he was "more of a man" than any of them. It's worth noting that Euro 2004 was played during a difficult period in Vieri's life when he was spied on by his own club Inter and Telecom Italia at the request of club owner Massimo Moratti. A Milan court has ordered Inter and Telecom Italia to compensate Vieri for this instance of phone tapping.

He missed the 2006 World Cup after suffering a knee meniscus injury in a Ligue 1 match against Paris Saint-Germain on March 26, 2006. Although Vieri would not have been a starter for Marcello Lippi's team, Lippi confessed to picking him if he had been healthy and that he may have travelled to France in order to gain more playing time ahead of the tournament. He competed in three tournaments but failed to win a medal in each of them, missing out on the Euro 2000 runners-up medal and the 2006 World Cup champions medal due to injury. His last game for Italy came against Moldova, the team against whom he had also made his debut under Lippi on October 12, 2005; he dominated the occasion by scoring his final international goal in the 2–1 home win.

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