Ronaldo scored first goal for Inter Milan 19 years ago today after record transfer from Barcelona
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RONALDO scored his first Inter Milan goal 19 years ago today.
The Brazilian superstar — known in his homeland as O Fenomeno — moved to the San Siro for his second world-record fee in two years in 1997.
He broke his duck in impressive style on September 14.
Ronaldo receives the ball on the edge of the Bologna box with two defenders ahead of him.
Upon controlling the pass, he opens up his body as if he will go on the outside, but quickly cuts inside — showing his famed pace.
He’s then away and Inter’s No.10 slams the ball past the goalkeeper — much to the delight of the watching Nerazzurri fans.
Ronaldo moved to the San Siro from Barcelona for a world-record £19.5million, breaking the £15m Newcastle had paid for Alan Shearer a year earlier.
And the England man himself had overtaken O Fenomono who cost the Catalans £13.2m 12 months before.
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He arrived on the back of netting a staggering 47 goals in 49 games for the La Liga giants — and adapted seamlessly to Serie A with 34 strikes in his first campaign.
However, injuries began to take their toll and his total of 15 in 1998-99 was to be the last time he hit double figures for Inter.
In his final season at San Siro, he returned from a two-year lay-off to help mount a title challenge with seven goals in the final ten games of the season, only for the club to concede the Scudetto to Juventus with defeat on the final day of the season.
In all competitions, he scored 59 times for the club — with the 1998 Uefa Cup his sole honour.
He did, however, win the Ballon d’Or twice — just months after his arrival and months after his departure to Real Madrid in 2002.
Mauro Icardi’s brace at the weekend saw him overtake Ronaldo’s Inter Serie A tally of 49.