The 1999-2000 campaign will go down as one of the greatest seasons in the history of Lazio Football Club as Sven Goran-Eriksson’s side won the Serie A title for just the second time and also claimed their third success in the Coppa Italia.
Lazio Legends: The Historic Class of 2000
Eriksson assembled a star-studded squad after selling striker Christian Vieiri for a world record fee to rivals Inter Milan following their success in the last European Cup Winners’ Cup final the previous season, beating Real Mallorca in the final. Having failed to claim Lo Scudetto on the final day of that campaign, the Eagles were to have better fortunes 12 months later when a 3-0 win over Reggina helped them eclipse Juventus by one point. Here are details of the five star players from that team:
Lazio Legends: Juan Sebastian Veron
The Argentinian had arrived at the club from Parma that summer and was the creative force in Eriksson’s midfield and was able to dictate the pace of games with he versatile passing that made him a nightmare to play against. He came up with eight goals to help the cause and the 1999-2000 season remains his crowning glory as he failed to be as influential in the Premier League during spells with Manchester United and Chelsea. Following a loan spell at Inter Milan he returned to his home club of Estudiantes where he is now president.
Lazio Legends: Marcelo Salas
Marcelo Salas is one of the best strikers to have emerged from Chilean football, combining a sharp eye for goal with a great work ethic. After making his name at Universidad de Chile and River Plate in South America, he joined Lazio in February 1998 and earned the nickname of the Matador. He was the team’s top goalscorer in the Scudetto-winning season with 12 goals, forming a fine partnership with Simone Inzaghi, before joining Juventus in 2001 and then moving back to the two clubs he played for on his home continent.
Lazio Legends: Diego Simeone
If Veron brought the midfield flair, then his Argentina team-mate Diego Dimeone was the Lazio engine room, although he still chipped in with seven goals from well-timed runs into the box. He left the Stadio Olimpico to return to one of his former clubs Atletico Madrid, where he would take over as manager in 2011 after a series of managerial positions in South America. Simeone has since led Atleti to two la Liga triumphs, two Europa League successes and two Champions League finals.
Lazio Legends: Alen Boksic
Bustling Croatian forward Alex Boksic was also a key component of Eriksson’s arsenal and he could prove a nightmare for defenders as he not only took chances, but also created plenty of opportunities for his team-mates. His eight goals were vital to the successful campaign, which was his second spell at the club following a stay at Juve, and he left for Middlesbrough at the end of the title-winning season, which was his final club before he retired through injury in 2003.
Lazio Legends: Sinisa Mihajlovic
Sinisa Mihajlovic played a key role in Eriksson’s defence, but he was also in hand to fire home free-kicks and scored six goals in the league that season, finding the net a total of 13 times in all competitions. He holds the record for the highest number of Serie A goals scored directly from free-kicks – 28 – and his leadership skills were a massive boost for the Eagles as they looked to win their first title since 1974.
Mihajlovic was part of the Red Star Belgrade team that won the 1991 European Cup and he stayed at Lazio until moving to Inter Milan in 2004, winning another Serie A title two years later. He went on to manage six Serie A clubs and also had a spell in charge of the Serbia national team.
By Adrian Mills
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