Vieri on Italy: "Number 9s are making a comeback. Retegui? Only BVB is better than Atalanta"

The former striker has his say on the return of the classic centre-forward and praises Atalanta's form

Christian Vieri has weighed in on the recent resurgence of the classic number 9 in football, and has also praised Atalanta for their impressive form in recent seasons.

Number 9s are making a comeback

Vieri, who was a prolific goalscorer in his playing days, believes that the number 9 is making a comeback in modern football. He points to the success of players like Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland, and Ciro Immobile as evidence of this trend.

"The number 9 is back," Vieri said. "For a while, it seemed like teams were moving away from the traditional centre-forward, but now they're coming back in a big way."

Retegui is a top striker

Vieri also had some words of praise for Atalanta striker Luis Muriel. He believes that the Colombian is one of the best strikers in the world and is comparable to Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland.

"Retegui is a top striker," Vieri said. "He's got everything you need in a number 9. He's strong, he's fast, and he can score goals. I think he's one of the best strikers in the world right now, and I'm not surprised that he's been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe."

Atalanta are a great team

Vieri also praised Atalanta for their impressive form in recent seasons. He believes that the Italian club are one of the best in Europe and are capable of winning major trophies.

"Atalanta are a great team," Vieri said. "They play with a lot of intensity and they're always dangerous going forward. I think they're one of the best teams in Europe right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if they win a major trophy soon."