Recent reports have emerged that Italian football legend Christian Vieri is attempting a comeback from retirement at age 43 to join a Chinese Super League club in the near future.

However, rumors were out that his desire to return to active competition might be a way to take him back to his old roots in Australia where he settled as a child back in the 1970's after being born in Bologna, Italy.

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Vieri's father, Roberto, was a professional footballer as well and had played for the Sydney-based Marconi Stallions from 1977 to 1980 then a second stint in 1982 before retirement. It was from his father that his interest for the sport grew and also got him his nickname "Bobo".

During his childhood days in western Sydney, Bobo had developed a great love for football and cricket. To this day, he had admitted that he was a better cricket player than a footballer and that it was his "first love".

"To be honest, I wasn't too good at football. Cricket was my first love and when I made scores for my boys team I dreamed of being the next Border," Vieri told reporters during a 1998 interview and was cited by ESPN in a recent article by Jason Dasey.

"Like the great man, I was a left-handed batsman and wanted to play in the Ashes and win it for Australia," the Italian continued, referring to cricket legend Allan Border.

Just like his dad, though, he suited up for the Marconi Juniors football squad rather than pursue a career in cricket until his family moved back to Italy when he was 15 years old.

There are still no official reports about the specific CSL side he is joining, but there had been doubts at what he can offer to a club because of his age.

The Sydney Morning Herald noted that he had been conditioning himself for a return, dropping "10 kilograms ahead of his anticipated comeback".

The report also said that his move to China could lead him back to where his love for football began as he could be open for a guest stint in the A-League or even with the Stallions themselves. Marconi's old Bossley Park ground, where Vieri's skills were reared, is still around in western Sydney and the striker could find his career ending up where it all began.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League rumors, Christian Vieri, Australia