Christian Vieri inducted into the Inter Hall of Fame

Christian Vieri inducted into the Inter Hall of Fame. One of the most prolific strikers in Nerazzurri history, ninth all-time top scorer with 123 goals. The Nerazzurri number 32, who for six seasons made San Siro resound with the chant of 'Bobo gol'. The announcements for the fifth edition of the Nerazzurri institution, which every year is enriched by legends who have written important chapters in the club's history, are now finished. Vieri is the fifth striker to receive the award, after Ronaldo, Meazza, Milito and Eto'o. In the 2022 edition he completes the quartet - determined by the votes of the entire Nerazzurri world - composed of Ivano Bordon, Maicon and Sandro Mazzola.

It is the goals that define Christian Vieri's story with Inter. Many goals, beautiful goals, frequent goals. Right from the start, and right to the end. The anticipation at San Siro for the striker, on the afternoon of 29 August 1999, was huge, very huge. It was mixed with a dream that remained practically unrealised: that of seeing Ronaldo-Vieri as Inter's centre-forward pair. Inter vs. Verona, his debut and a hat-trick. And the first minutes together for the two strikers.

A story that seemed to be written: Christian, born in Bologna on 12 July 1973, emigrated to Australia in the wake of his footballer father, and after playing and dreaming of cricket, he set his mind on one thing. Becoming a footballer was the path he wanted to pursue at all costs, enduring distance from his family, hard work and sacrifices. Throughout his career, in many different shirts, Vieri cherished his love of football by scoring goals.

So many with the Inter shirt. Six seasons, 190 games, 123 goals. The ninth all-time goalscorer in the club's history, an average of 0.65 goals per game. 103 goals in Serie A, 8 in the Coppa Italia, 6 in the Champions League, 5 in the UEFA Cup. Never a season with less than 17 goals, 2002-2003 was the best with 27 goals in 37 appearances, as well as the award of top scorer in Serie A.

Special numbers, in seasons of achievement and also of suffering. Only 667 minutes on the pitch together with Ronaldo (with 18 scored by the two in those 11 matches in which they shared the pitch) and only one trophy, the 2004-2005 Coppa Italia. Vieri scored three goals in that tournament, two of them in the semi-final.

In the memory of the fans, an endless string of goals. From the first against Verona to the one in the 2001/2002 derby, from the battles in Valencia with Vieri's goals in the first leg and the second leg in the Champions League quarter-finals to the incredible performances against Reggina and Juventus. And then the celebrations, beautiful, free, wild: the shirt taken off, the pure joy, the grit to execute the comeback against Sampdoria, the crown on the head for the 100 goals in black and blue.

Now the induction into the Inter Hall of Fame, to continue and cultivate the tradition of the great Nerazzurri strikers.

INTER HALL OF FAME: THE GOLDEN LIST

2018 Edition: Walter Zenga; Javier Zanetti; Lothar Matthäus; Ronaldo. 2019 Edition: Francesco Toldo; Giacinto Facchetti; Dejan Stankovic; Giuseppe Meazza. 2020 Edition: Julio Cesar; Giuseppe Bergomi; Esteban Cambiasso; Diego Milito. 2021 Edition: Gianluca Pagliuca, Marco Materazzi, Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto'o. 2022 Edition: Ivano Bordon, Maicon, Sandro Mazzola, Christian Vieri.