A hattrick on his debut: 21 ago, Vieri's show

MILAN - Debuts of this magnitude do not happen every day. Above all though, they do not always materialise after summers of volatile transfer markets, as it did in 1999 - the summer that saw Christian Vieri join the Nerazzurri. On 29 August 1999, he made his inter debut in front of a San Siro crowd full of expectation to see the man dubbed by the media as “Mr 90 Billion”.

A centre-forward, number 32, alongside Ivan Zamorano. Vieri’s first game was the perfect start to life at the Club: three goals, all of them beautiful and all of them from the same situation. Long ball forward, control and a left-footed shot to beat Battistini. And that’s really how it went all three times: the first was from Georgatos’ long ball forward, Vieri took it down on his chest with his back to goal, turned and beat the keeper with a low left-footed shot. After the break, he benefited from two more long balls from midfield - the first from Moriero, the second from Di Biagio - that sent Vieri into one-on-ones with the defenders. Outstanding touches, and wicked shots. From the first minute of the second half, Vieri and Ronaldo played together for the very first time. It was a celebratory afternoon for the Nerazzurri, signed off by Vieri with three of his 123 goals (in 190 games) in an Inter shirt.

INTER 3-0 HELLAS VERONA | 29 AUGUST 1999Inter: Peruzzi; Panucci, Blanc, Simic; Zanetti, Moriero (62' Di Biagio), Paulo Sousa, Cauet (73' Domoraud), Georgatos; Zamorano (46' Ronaldo), Vieri.Coach: Lippi.

Hellas Verona: Battistini, Falsini (62' Seric), Franceschetti (46' Zilic), Gonnella, Mezzano, Diana, Marasco, Colucci, Melis, Adailton (62' Salvetti), Cammarata.Coach: Prandelli.

Goalscorers: 16', 53', 65' Vieri.

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