Given the power of Italian football at the time it was fitting, then, that Inter’s adversary in the UEFA Cup final should be one of their domestic rivals: Lazio.
The Biancocelesti were the favourites, but Ronaldo had other ideas.
“I roomed with Ronaldo, and before the final they chose two players from each side to speak to the press,” Ze Elias says.
“From Lazio it was Nesta and Mancini, and they said that if one of the two sides really deserved the trophy, it was Lazio, because they had got to the final without losing, without having to overcome any bad results.
“Ronaldo was sat there next to them and said, ‘Tomorrow, I’m going to make these two into
figuras di merda’,” using an Italian phrase that roughly translates as ‘look a fool’.
“I went to him and asked, ‘Ronaldo, what are you doing?’ He looked at me and said, ‘They talk too much"
With a knowing smile, Ze Elias glances up before continuing: “The next day we won the game 3-0. Ronaldo had a field day. He scored a goal, nutmegged someone.
“Mancini came up to him during the game and Ronaldo said, ‘Not now, keep quiet. If you want, I’ll give you my autograph after the game.'”
The other two goals were scored by Zanetti and Zamorano, cementing the importance of Inter’s South American connection.
Grande Ronaldo