Italy: Christian Vieri

Australia-born Christian Vieri is the injury-jinxed footballing nomad who names cricketing legend Allan Border as his sporting hero and caused alarm in the Vatican when Inter Milan signed him three years ago.

He has also energised a dormant Inter and goes to the World Cup as Italy’s chief goals source.

The Vatican City’s official newspaper L’Osservatore Romano described his €49million move as:

‘‘An offence to the poor.’’

And that concern was followed by criticism from the Australian Catholic Church.

Australia’s Archbishop Francesco Canalini, said: ‘‘The Catholic Church could build a lot of churches in the Third World with this sort of money.’’

But while he and Inter made exalted enemies with the then world-record deal, on the pitch Vieri has justified the tag.

Free from injuries which have restricted his appearances since joining Inter three years ago, Vieri is the outstanding striker in Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad and a natural scorer.

The son of Bob Vieri, a former Juventus and Sampdoria player, Vieri was raised in Sydney where he attended local schools and was raised Australian.

His father being Italian and mother French did not stop Vieri making former Australia cricket captain Border his childhood icon.

Even though Bob Vieri was coach of local soccer team Marconi, his son was plenty happy enough with bat in hand.

Vieri even toyed with a cricketing career, so good was he as a youngster, but football was his first love and father’s influence so great that he gave up his whites for the lure of Serie A stardom.

But while Border played for just two state teams in Australian domestic cricket, Vieri had not settled until joining Inter.

Since leaving Australia in 1989, Vieri has played for 10 clubs, including Lazio, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

The Italian press appear concerned by his current lack of movement and have been convinced at different times over the past year that he is to re-join both Juve and Atletico.

The rumours are groundless insists Vieri, now 28, whose settling down has reflected well on his football.

‘‘I feel comfortable both in the city of Milan and at Inter,’’ he said.

‘‘I want to stay here to win something important. I don’t think I’ll be going back to Spain.’’

For the Azzurri, he is expected to get the vote as the central striker ahead of Vincenzo Montella and Filippo Inzaghi.

He has a World Cup pedigree of course, having scored five times at France ’98 to finish just behind six-goal top-scorer Davor Suker.

That achievement prompted Border to send his famous supporter a signed bat, and Vieri’s involvement this summer will guarantee Australian interest in the World Cup after their narrow failure to qualify.

Having missed Euro 2000 with a thigh problem, Vieri struggled with injury over the next season, but he has been in blistering form this term.

Scoring at nearly a goal a game, and claiming still that he could be fitter, he remains a player whose potential has still not been fulfilled.

With the bit between his teeth, do not discount Vieri repeating Paolo Rossi’s 1982 feat and scoring the goals to take Italy to their fourth World Cup triumph.