154-461: Christian Vieri ( Italian pronunciation: [ˈkristjam ˈvjɛːri] ; born 12 July 1973), commonly known as Bobo Vieri , is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a centre forward . Having been born in Italy, Vieri moved with his family to Australia as a child, before returning to Italy to pursue his professional career at a young age. He then spent the bulk of his career playing in
308-456: A foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL
462-601: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
616-483: A 0–0 draw following extra time, was the only game of the tournament in which Vieri was unable to score. Vieri missed out Dino Zoff 's squad for Euro 2000 after suffering a recurrence of an old thigh injury, following a collision with Gianluigi Buffon during the Serie A fourth place playoff for the final Champions League spot with Inter, against Parma , at the end of the 1999–2000 season ; Buffon would later also miss out on
770-582: A 1–1 draw with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on the first day of the La Liga season. He scored his first goal on 16 September, a penalty in a 2–1 home win against Leicester City in the first round of the UEFA Cup . Eleven days later he opened his league account with two goals in a 3–3 home draw with Celta . In October, he scored back-to-back hat-tricks in a 5–1 win at Real Zaragoza and
924-481: A 1–1 draw. Vieri was once again the main striker in Italy's ill-fated Euro 2004 campaign. This time he did not fare so well, however, scoring no goals as Italy were eliminated in the first round. It was during this tournament that his now infamous "more of a man" press conference took place following Italy's 1–1 draw against Sweden , where he hit back at his critics in the Italian press by insulting them, and stated that he
1078-607: A 5–2 home win over PAOK in the quarter-finals of the European competition. On 21 March 1998, he scored four times away to Salamanca , 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, which saw him receive the Pichichi Trophy as the league's top scorer. Vieri stated in his 2015 autobiography that his 1997 transfer to Atlético
1232-492: A Catholic diocese. During the 18th century, with the ascent of Lorraine at the head of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the city was embellished and also experienced a significant cultural development, which was promoted by the grand dukes themselves. The intellectual foresight of Prato and its land in this century finds its maximum expression in the words of Filippo Mazzei , a friend of Thomas Jefferson , which today are reported in
1386-488: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1540-512: A Milan court to pay Vieri damages amounting to €1 million for this case of phone tapping. More disappointment occurred when he missed the 2006 World Cup after suffering a knee meniscus injury in a Ligue 1 match with Monaco against Paris Saint-Germain on 26 March 2006. Although Vieri would not necessarily have been a starter for Marcello Lippi's side, Lippi admitted that he would have picked him had he been fit, and even encouraged him to move to France in order to gain more playing time ahead of
1694-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
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#17328455890361848-402: A contract extension to Vieri. His contract therefore ended on 30 June. Vieri signed a one-year deal with Fiorentina in the summer of 2007 and he was officially presented to the press on 21 July 2007. He signed a one-year-contract for Atalanta on 30 June 2008; however, in early April, both Atalanta and Vieri mutually agreed that the contract was to be rescinded after only making nine appearances for
2002-752: A cultural span that started with the Etruscans and then expanded in the Middle Ages and reached its peak with the Renaissance , when artists such as Donatello , Filippo Lippi and Botticelli left their testimonies in the city. The famous cantucci , a type of biscotti invented in Prato during the Middle Ages, are still produced by local traditional bakers. Archaeological findings have proved that Prato's surrounding hills were inhabited since Paleolithic times. The plain
2156-497: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
2310-487: A footballing nomad, Vieri played for no fewer than 12 clubs throughout his career, mainly in Italy, but also in Spain and France. He started his career with Torino in 1991, but his most notable and successful spells were those at Juventus , Atlético Madrid , Lazio and Inter, clubs with which he won several honours. As well as picking up several winners medals during his career, Vieri also claimed many individual awards including
2464-412: A free transfer to Monaco , on a two-and-a-half-year deal, being brought in by compatriot manager Francesco Guidolin who had also loaned an Italian strike partner in the form of Marco Di Vaio . On 26 March, he suffered a knee injury through a collision with Paris Saint-Germain 's Bernard Mendy , which eventually ruled him out of a place in Italy's squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup . Vieri agreed
2618-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2772-628: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
2926-419: A love for both football and cricket , a sport he still follows to this day. He stated in an interview that he would have liked to have been a professional cricketer. His younger brother, Massimiliano "Max" Vieri , was also a professional footballer and was an Australian international in 2004. Vieri played for Marconi Juniors when he was a child but his family subsequently moved back to Italy. In an interview at
3080-492: A match won 4–0 against Genoa . At the end of the 1991–92 season , Vieri would pick up a runners up medal as an unused substitute in the 1992 UEFA Cup final , lost on away goals to Ajax . In November 1992, Vieri was sold to Serie B club Pisa , scoring two goals in 18 appearances. He would only stay in Pisa for one season, moving to fellow Serie B side Ravenna for the 1993–94 season , where he scored 12 goals in 32 appearances. He
3234-519: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
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#17328455890363388-504: A mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through
3542-493: A mutual agreement to terminate his contract with the club. He was then signed by cross-town rivals AC Milan on a two-year deal, amidst interest from Newcastle United . He scored his only goal for them on 26 October to wrap up a 3–1 win at Empoli . Due to his poor performances throughout the season, he won the Bidone d'Oro Award in 2005, which is given to the worst Serie A player during a particular season. In January 2006, he moved on
3696-428: A number of restaurants in the city of Milan. Another close friend of his is former forward Alessandro Matri , with whom he has been seen holidaying in Spain, along with other friends. He also started another clothing brand (Baci & Abbracci) with close friend and footballer Cristian Brocchi and model Alena Šeredová . Vieri presented a footvolley cup with the name Bobo summer cup , in 2018. In 2017, Vieri began
3850-514: A one-year deal with Sampdoria on 6 July 2006, however he returned to Atalanta on 29 August, signing a one-year minimum wage contract worth €1,500 per month. Although he received a paltry salary, Vieri was to earn another €100,000 for every goal he scored, leaving chairman Ivan Ruggeri to comment, "If things go well, Vieri will cost me €2 million." Vieri scored two goals in seven substitute appearances, including one spectacular long-range effort. In June 2007, Atalanta announced they would not offer
4004-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
4158-543: A relationship with Italian showgirl Costanza Caracciolo. On 18 November 2018, Vieri and Caracciolo announced the birth of their daughter Stella on Instagram . On 18 March 2019, the pair were married in a small civil ceremony at Villa Litta Modignani in the Affori ward of Milan. Toward the end of October that year, the couple announced that they were expecting a second child. Vieri features in EA Sports ' FIFA video game series ; he
4312-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
4466-436: A row correctly, retiring after reading the second-to-last question, winning an outstanding amount of €150,000. The thirteenth question represented a dramatic yet hilarious moment on Italian television: being the duo doubtful about the correct answer, Vincenzo Montella , one of the football players who were in the audience, invited Vieri and Gattuso to walk away with the already collected amount of €70,000 without risking to reduce
4620-522: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
4774-554: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
Christian Vieri - Misplaced Pages Continue
4928-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
5082-458: 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. Appearing in a total of nine World Cup games in 1998 and 2002, he found the net nine times, making him one of the most feared strikers in those tournaments along with Ronaldo and Miroslav Klose , and Italy's joint-highest World Cup goalscorer, alongside Roberto Baggio and Paolo Rossi . He
5236-451: Is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or
5390-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
5544-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
5698-450: Is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball
5852-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
6006-800: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
6160-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
6314-539: Is the capital of the province of Prato . The city lies in the northeast of Tuscany, at an elevation of 65 metres (213 ft), at the foot of Monte Retaia (the last peak in the Calvana chain). With 198,034 inhabitants as of 1 January 2024 , Prato is Tuscany's second largest city (after Florence ) and the third largest in Central Italy (after Rome and Florence). Historically, Prato's economy has been based on
Christian Vieri - Misplaced Pages Continue
6468-579: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
6622-673: Is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of the men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within
6776-451: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
6930-559: Is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with the Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup
7084-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
7238-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
7392-486: The 1998 FIFA World Cup , Vieri named his all-time sporting hero as Australian cricketer Allan Border , and said that as a child he was better at cricket than football. Vieri started his playing career at Marconi Stallions . Upon his return to Italy in 1988, his first club was Santa Lucia, a team from Prato , where his first coach was Luciano Diamanti, the father of the player Alessandro Diamanti . The next year he became affiliated with Prato and scored several goals in
7546-528: The Campionato Nazionale Dante Berretti . The following year, he moved to Torino after being spotted by Serino Rampanti, who recommended him to the coach Sergio Vatta. The president of the Prato, Andrea Toccafondi, did not want to sell the promising striker. To convince him to sell Vieri to Torino, the Granata also had to buy the son of Toccafondi, Paolo, who was a goalkeeper. After a year in
7700-515: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
7854-507: The Pichichi Trophy and Capocannoniere awards for the league's top scorer in Spain and Italy respectively, and the Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year twice. At international level, Vieri scored 23 goals in 49 appearances for Italy between 1997 and 2005, and is the joint ninth-highest goalscorer for his national team, alongside Francesco Graziani . He is also Italy's highest ever goalscorer in
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#17328455890368008-664: The Sacra Cintola , on the day of the birth of the Madonna, there is the Corteggio Storico . The costume parade takes place along the streets of the center, in which the armies of the city, the Corpo dei Valletti Comunali and other hundreds of people from different cities of Italy take part. The procession ends in Piazza del Duomo, where there is the most solemn event of the day: the exposition of
8162-495: The Serie A . In March 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100 , a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations. A prolific goalscorer, for a number of years, he was regarded as one of the best strikers of this generation, leading to him becoming the world's most expensive player in 1999 when Inter Milan paid Lazio £32 million (€43 million) for his services. Something of
8316-625: The University of Florence and a consortium company born from the collaboration between local authorities (first of all the Municipality of Prato) and various private subjects, the PIN Scrl, owner of the building (formerly the prestigious Istituto T. Buzzi and renovated for the occasion) which houses the polo. Some courses of study are underway at the faculty of economics , letters and philosophy, engineering, medicine and surgery and political sciences of
8470-676: The fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated the transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after
8624-407: The group stage : two against Cameroon , and one against Austria . Vieri scored Italy's only goal in the round of 16 match against Norway . He scored Italy's fourth penalty in the quarter-final shootout against hosts and eventual champions France , but Luigi Di Biagio missed the fifth spot-kick, and Italy were eliminated. The aforementioned quarter-final showdown against France, which had ended in
8778-419: The province of Florence , in 1992 Prato became the capital of the eponymous province . Prato has a humid subtropical climate which has sunny hot summers and cool damp winters. July is the driest month of the year. The city of Prato has the second largest Chinese immigrant population in Italy (after Milan with Italy's largest Chinatown ). The number of legal Chinese residents in Prato on 31 December 2008
8932-416: The ' Scudetto and starting in the 3–1 UEFA Champions League final loss to Borussia Dortmund . Vieri's form for Juventus attracted the attention of Spanish side Atlético Madrid who paid £12.5 million to sign the striker in 1997. He was part of a £45 million spending spree for the club owned by Jesús Gil that season, alongside Juninho Paulista . Vieri made his debut for Atlético on 30 August 1997 in
9086-620: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
9240-463: The 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it
9394-590: The Bisenzio Valley: Prato could therefore develop as a free commune . Within two centuries it reached 15,000 inhabitants, spurred in by the flourishing textile industry and by the presence of the Holy Belt relic. Two new lines of walls had to be built in the mid-12th century, and in the early 14th century. In 1313, in order to counter the expansionism of the Republic of Florence , Prato submitted voluntarily under
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#17328455890369548-528: The English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and the United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of
9702-570: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
9856-567: The FIFA World Cup , along with Roberto Baggio and Paolo Rossi , with a combined nine goals from nine matches at the 1998 and 2002 editions of the tournament; he also took part at Euro 2004 . Born in Bologna , Italy, to active professional footballer Roberto Vieri and Christiane "Nathalie" Rivaux, Vieri is of Italian and French descent as his mother was born in Casablanca and raised in Paris. He spent
10010-861: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
10164-464: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
10318-470: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
10472-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
10626-475: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
10780-616: The New Year's celebrations that follow the Lunar calendar. The last day of festivities have a parade with several puppets of dragons and lions, manipulated by experienced dancers and martial artists who perform the traditional Dragon dance . The Game of Palla Grossa is back to be played in Prato Piazza Mercatale in September 2012, after almost thirty years of absence. Four districts compete:
10934-555: The President leaving Atlético after just one year. After his performances for Atlético and at the 1998 World Cup , Vieri returned to Serie A with Lazio for a fee of €25 million. He partnered Chilean international Marcelo Salas for the Rome -based club, managed by Sven-Göran Eriksson . He had a successful season, scoring 14 goals in 28 appearances, and won the Cup Winners' Cup . He scored
11088-664: The Rossi (Santa Trinita), the Gialli (Santo Stefano), the Azzurri (Santa Maria) and the Verdi (San Marco). The contemporanea festival is an international theater festival that takes place in Prato since 1999. The event takes place at the end of May and presents important artists of the national and international contemporary theater scene. The typical Pratese cuisine, as in general that of the whole Tuscany , uses "poor" products and ingredients, mainly from
11242-458: The Torino youth ranks, Vieri was given his first team debut at age 18, on 30 October 1991 in the 1991–92 Coppa Italia under Emiliano Mondonico ; he scored the second goal in a 2–0 win for Torino against Lazio . On 15 December of the same year, he made his official debut in Serie A during the final minutes of a home game against Fiorentina (2–0). He would later score his first goal in the league in
11396-660: The Università degli Studi di Firenze) and the Prato Research Foundation which also includes the Istituto Geofisico Toscano, in addition to the creation of a Research Center financed by local authorities and the Chamber of Commerce. From the early nineties, the city is home to an important university center with over 2000 registered students , called "University Campus of Prato", born from the collaboration between
11550-618: The Viareggio-Florence Railroad and the Bologna-Florence Railways. The first is a regional line that connects it with Florence and western Tuscany, while the second is part of the Milan-Naples ridge and is one of the most important Italian railway lines. Prato is therefore served by some long-distance trains. There are three railway stations in the city: Consorzio Autotrasporti Pratese , also known CAP Autolinee ,
11704-532: The area later shifted to the Romans , who had their Via Cassia pass through here, but did not build any settlement. In the early Middle Ages , the Byzantine and Lombard dominations prevailed in the region. The history of Prato itself begins from the 10th century, when two distinct villages, Borgo al Cornio and Castrum Prati (Prato's Castle), are known. In the following century the two settlements were united under
11858-512: The ball in training as his career progressed, showing significant improvements to his technique. In his prime, his unique and direct offensive style of play, which blended power with pace and solid technical skills, led him to be compared to Luigi Riva and Roberto Boninsegna , as well as earning him the nickname of "Il Toro" ("The Bull"). Despite his goalscoring ability, he was also injury prone throughout his career, however, which greatly affected his pace, fitness and mobility in later years. Vieri
12012-456: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
12166-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
12320-525: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
12474-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
12628-732: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
12782-584: The city center, the surrounding areas and the suburbs with frequencies ranging from seven to fifteen minutes. CAP Autolinee was part of ONE Scarl the consortium holder of the two-year (2018–2019) contract for the management of the TPL throughout the Region. Since 1 November 2021, the public local transport is managed by Autolinee Toscane . The main points of reference are the University Campus of Prato (a branch of
12936-402: The club. He announced his retirement from professional football on 20 October 2009. Vieri scored 23 goals in 49 matches for Italy between 1997 and 2005. He played for his country at the 1998 World Cup , scoring five times, and the 2002 World Cup , scoring four times. He endured a less successful tournament at Euro 2004 , whilst he missed Euro 2000 and 2006 World Cup through injury. Vieri
13090-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
13244-618: The display of the cathedral's famous relic of the Virgin Mary , the Girdle of Thomas ( Sacra Cintola , a cord belt), which had a great reputation in the late Middle Ages and is often shown in Florentine art. Also of interest is the Teatro Metastasio , the city's main venue for operas and other theatrical productions, which was built in 1829–30. The city of Prato is crossed by two railway lines:
13398-486: The early 1990s. The majority of Chinese work in 3,500 workshops in the garment industry and ready-to-wear. Chinatown, known as Santo Beijing, is located in the west part of the city, spreading to Porta Pistoiese in the historical centre. The local Chamber of Commerce registered over 3,100 Chinese businesses by September 2008. Most of them are located in an industrial park named Macrolotto di Iolo. Raids on factories employing illegal immigrants in 2010 highlighted problems with
13552-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
13706-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
13860-464: The end of passes. Despite being primarily a goal-scoring striker, he was also capable of providing assists to teammates, which was aided by his ability to use his strength to hold up the ball and play with his back to goal in order to participate in the build-up of attacking plays; he also excelled at beating the offside trap to get on the end of long balls with his runs in behind the defence, which also allowed him to provide depth to his team. Although he
14014-565: The final prize to €16,000 answering incorrectly. Vieri playfully suggested selling the player ("Ma vendetelo!"), while Gattuso jokingly asked for getting Montella out of the studio as he was behaving like a jinx ("Porta una sfiga Montella, mandatelo via!"). Having retired from professional football, Vieri started working as a pundit and consultant for beIN Sports . He successively started his weekly Twitch -based podcast, named Bobo TV , together with former teammates Antonio Cassano , Daniele Adani and Nicola Ventola , which quickly became one of
14168-399: The first goal of the 2–1 win over Mallorca in the final at Villa Park on 19 May, the last match in the tournament's history. The following season Vieri was the subject of a then world record transfer of €49 million (90 billion Italian lire , £32 million) to Inter Milan after drawing the attention of chairman Massimo Moratti and manager Marcello Lippi , who had requested
14322-696: The first years of his life in the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region while his Prato -born father played for Bologna . With Roberto Vieri's 1977 transfer to Marconi Stallions , the family moved to Sydney , Australia, residing in the suburb of Wetherill Park in South Western Sydney , where young Christian attended Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield . It is from his father that he inherited his nickname Bobo which he carried with him throughout his career. During his time in Australia, Vieri developed
14476-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
14630-514: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
14784-517: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
14938-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
15092-422: The game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football
15246-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
15400-486: The growth of an apparel industry in Prato based on cheap, and sometimes illegal, labor. In spite of these claims, the local unemployment rate was around 7% in 2013, which was significantly lower than the national average of 11%, even after 4,000 enterprises which had employed 20,000 people were closed in the previous two decades. The president of the Industrial Association of Prato, Andrea Cavicchi, pointed out that
15554-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
15708-654: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
15862-693: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
16016-604: The local economic performance was much better than the rest of Italy due to the Chinese textile firms. The Chinese community was represented in local institutions after 2019 elections, when two city councillors of Chinese origins were elected. The dialect from Prato is very similar to that of Florence , but it has its own peculiarities. The pronunciation of the city name in the dialect was traditionally [ˈpraː.o] but now [ˈpraːho] or [ˈpraːθo] are more common. On 8 September each year, to pay homage to
16170-568: The lords of the castle, the Alberti family, who received the imperial title of Counts of Prato. In the same period the plain was drained and a hydraulic system regulating and exploiting the waters of the Bisenzio River was created to feed the gualchiere (pre-industrial textile machines). After a siege in 1107 by the troops of Matilde of Canossa , the Alberti retreated to their family fortresses in
16324-411: The match with PAOK, Vieri made a bet with Jesús Gil : if he had scored a hat-trick, the President would have given him a Ferrari . The striker did find the net three times, with the third goal, scored from the goal line, being one of the most iconic moments of his career, and Gil made him choose his gift car. However, Vieri never picked up his Ferrari at the end of the season, as he felt he had betrayed
16478-403: The most popular Web-based shows in Italy. Juventus Lazio Inter Milan Italy Individual Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of
16632-525: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
16786-576: The nearby city of Florence for the Medici family . The severity of the sack of Prato led to the surrender of the Florentine Republic , and to the restoration of the Medici rule. Historians debate the actual number of people killed during the sack, but contemporary chroniclers asserted between 2000 and 6000 people were slaughtered in the streets. In 1653, Prato obtained the status of city and became seat of
16940-483: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. Prato Prato ( / ˈ p r ɑː t oʊ / PRAH -toh ; Italian: [ˈpraːto] ) is a city and comune (municipality) in Tuscany , Italy, and
17094-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
17248-461: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
17402-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
17556-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
17710-408: The player after their successful season together at Juventus. Inter would be Vieri's ninth club in his ninth season of being a professional footballer, and the only one where he would play for more than one season, for a total of six. 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
17864-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
18018-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
18172-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
18326-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
18480-457: The relic of the Holy Girdle. The program of the festival is enriched by various performances that are held throughout the day in various points of the historic center, such as, for example, the performance of flag-wavers, shooting with bows, the medieval market with re-enactments of ancient crafts and traditions, musical performances, fireworks . The local Chinese associations in Prato organize
18634-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
18788-534: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
18942-512: The scoring in the 18th minute, scoring a powerful header from a Francesco Totti corner. Italy led the game until the Koreans equalised two minutes before the end. Just one minute after the Korean equaliser, Vieri missed an open goal which would have put Italy in front. Italy were eventually eliminated by South Korea by a golden goal . The only game in which he failed to find the net was against Mexico in
19096-519: The second paragraph of the American Declaration of Independence : All men are created equal . After the unification of Italy in the 19th century, Prato became a primary industrial centre, especially in the textile sector (Italian historian Emanuele Repetti described it as the "Italian Manchester "), and it population grew up to 50,000 in 1901 and to 180,000 in 2001. The town experienced significant internal immigration. Previously part of
19250-586: The seigniory of Robert of Anjou , King of Naples . However, on 23 February 1351 Joanna I of Naples sold the city to the Republic of Florence in exchange for 17,500 golden florins . Prato's history therefore followed that of Florence in the following centuries. In 1512, during the War of the Holy League , the city was sacked by Spanish troops assembled by Pope Julius II and the king of Aragón, Ferdinand II , to recover
19404-466: The semi-final defeat to city rivals AC 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
19558-543: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
19712-440: 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. On 6 January 2004, he scored his 100th goal for the club in a 3–1 home against Lecce, being celebrated by his teammates with a crown. In July 2005, Vieri and Inter came to
19866-632: The territory. The bread, called bozza pratese , is definitely the basic element of the kitchen. In Prato, as in Florence it is customary to use bread to prepare croutons with the livers, panzanella and pappa al pomodoro. Prato is home to many museums and other cultural monuments, including the Filippo Lippi frescoes in the Cathedral of Santo Stefano , recently restored. The cathedral has an external pulpit by Donatello and Michelozzo , built and still used for
20020-470: The textile industry and its district is the largest in Europe. The textile district of Prato is made up of about 7000 fashion companies, amounting to around 2 billion euros of city's export. The renowned Datini archives are a significant collection of late medieval documents concerning economic and trade history, produced between 1363 and 1410. The city boasts important historical and artistic attractions, with
20174-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
20328-531: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
20482-436: The title after their last-day defeat to Lazio. The following season, he was Serie A Capocannoniere after scoring 24 goals in 23 appearances. In addition, he scored three 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 . Vieri was injured during the second leg of this game and therefore played no part in
20636-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
20790-429: The tournament through injury. Italy played Vieri as a lone striker in the 2002 World Cup under manager Giovanni Trapattoni , scoring an impressive 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 incorrectly ruled out for offside . In the round of 16 match against co-hosts South Korea , he opened
20944-468: The tournament. He played 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 winners medal due to injury. His final appearance for Italy had come against Moldova, the team against which he had also made his debut, on 12 October 2005, under Lippi; he marked the occasion by scoring his final international goal in the 2–1 home win. Vieri
21098-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
21252-634: The year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than a competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
21406-510: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
21560-484: Was "more of a man" than any of them, and accused them of publishing false news stories, after a rumour concerning a supposed quarrel between Vieri and his teammate Gianluigi Buffon had been leaked in the press. It is worth noting that Euro 2004 occurred at a particularly painful period of Vieri's life, when he was being spied upon by his own club Inter and Telecom Italia at the request of club owner Massimo Moratti. In September 2012, Inter and Telecom Italia were ordered by
21714-439: Was 9,927; the number rose to 27,829 on 31 December 2021. Local authorities estimate the overall number of Chinese citizens living in Prato to be as high as 50,000, illegal immigrants included, although such number may be inflated for political reasons. Most overseas Chinese come from the city of Wenzhou in the province of Zhejiang , some of them having moved from Chinatown in Paris . The first Chinese people came to Prato in
21868-452: Was a Società consortile a responsabilità limitata (Scarl) that operated since 2005 the local public transport in Prato and in the province and partly in that of Pistoia and Florence . The sole partner is Cap Cooperativa, whose members are also workers who cover the positions of travelling driving personnel. There are a total of 11 active routes, including five LAMs ( LAM Blu , LAM Rossa , LAM Arancio , LAM Viola , LAM-MT ) that connect
22022-414: Was a complete, prolific and opportunistic striker , with a keen eye for goal. Due to his notable goal-scoring prowess, Vieri is regarded by pundits as one of the greatest Italian strikers of all time and one of the top strikers of his generation. Although he was considered to be more of a physical rather than talented player in his youth, who lacked strong technical ability, he was able to refine his touch on
22176-491: Was also the 1000th goal scored by the Italy national team. He scored a key goal for Italy in a 1–1 draw in the away leg of the team's play off against Russia during their qualification campaign 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 an assist from his strike partner. He went on to score three more goals during
22330-450: Was impressive in his first couple of seasons, but constant managerial 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
22484-449: Was later colonized by the Etruscans . In 1997, remains of a previously unknown city from that civilization were discovered in the neighbourhood of Gonfienti near Campi Bisenzio . It was of medium size and it was already a centre for the wool and textile industry . According to some scholars, it could be the mythical Camars . The Etruscan city was inhabited until the 5th century BC, when, for undisclosed reasons, it decayed; control of
22638-595: Was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as
22792-497: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
22946-501: Was motivated purely by financial reasons—revealing that Juventus would only pay him an annual salary of L. 2 million while the Spanish club were offering the equivalent of L. 3.5 million. He furthermore asserted: "If I could have turned back time, I’d have stayed in Turin". Vieri also revealed a funny story about the aforementioned back-to-back hat-tricks against Real Zaragoza and PAOK. Before
23100-488: Was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. Alongside Francesco Graziani , he is Italy's ninth-highest goalscorer of all time . Vieri received his first international cap during the 1996–97 season after some impressive displays for Juventus; he made his Italy senior debut on 29 March 1997, at the age of 23, in a 3–0 win over Moldova , in which he also scored his first international goal, which
23254-595: Was on the cover for the Italian edition of FIFA 99 , and was named in the Ultimate Team Legends in FIFA 14 . Vieri featured as Ivan Drago in the 2000 Italian film, Picasso's face . In December 2003, Vieri participated in the Italian TV broadcast Chi vuol essere milionario? forming a memorable duo with Gennaro Gattuso during an episode organised for charity purposes. Vieri and Gattuso answered 13 questions in
23408-409: Was predominantly left-footed, although he was capable of scoring with both feet, as well as with his head, and from volleys. He has often been described as a large, old fashioned centre forward , due to his powerful physical presence and outstanding aerial ability; he is the all-time top scorer of headed goals in Italian league history. He also excelled at finding space to anticipate opponents and get on
23562-597: Was primarily a goal-area threat, Vieri had an accurate and powerful shot from distance as well as inside the area; he was also an accurate penalty taker. Vieri's personal life has been subject to much media attention in Italy. He has been involved in many high-profile relationships, including those with models Elisabetta Canalis , Elena Santarelli , Debora Salvalaggio, Fernanda Lessa , Melissa Satta and Jazzma Kendrick, among others. Vieri has his own fashion label – Sweet Years – which he runs with friend and former Italy and AC Milan teammate Paolo Maldini . The pair also own
23716-623: Was subsequently transferred to another Serie B club for the 1994–95 season , Venezia , where he scored 11 goals in 29 appearances. After three seasons in Serie B, Vieri returned to Serie A for the 1995–96 season , when he joined Atalanta , scoring 9 goals in 21 appearances. His first big move came when he was signed by Juventus from Atalanta for a fee of €2.5 million for the 1996–97 season . He made 23 appearances and scored 8 goals in Serie A, and six goals in ten matches in Europe, making him joint top scorer for Juventus that season along with Alen Bokšić . He ended his season at Juve by winning
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