Ronaldo warned Mancini to stay silent before Inter’s 1998 UEFA Cup triumph

Ze Elias recalls a May night in Paris when Ronaldo leaned over to Mancini and said, “Keep quiet, I’ll give you my autograph after,” a moment he says set the tone for Inter Milan’s 1998 UEFA Cup victory.

Early UEFA Cup campaign

At San Siro in Milan on September 19 1997, a 21‑year‑old Elias featured against Neuchâtel Xamax in the UEFA Cup, scoring the second goal of a 2‑0 away win that earned him a place in Inter’s first‑team plans.

He explains that the club had prioritised Serie A, fielding a second string in the early rounds, but a string of positive results forced manager Luigi Simoni to promote the first team, giving Elias his breakthrough.

Road to the final

Inter overturned deficits against Lyon and Strasbourg, with a memorable second‑leg comeback in Milan where a trio of Javier Zanetti, Diego Simeone and Ronaldo erased a 2‑0 first‑leg loss to Strasbourg.

The semi‑final against Spartak Moscow saw Elias join compatriot Ronaldo and Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano on the scoresheet, securing a 4‑2 aggregate win.

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Inter’s squad, described by Elias as a “South American flavour”, regularly faced legends such as Alessandro Costacurta, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Baggio and Zinedine Zidane, underscoring the league’s strength.

When asked about his toughest opponent, Elias singled out Edgar Davids, calling him “horrible” for his aggressive style.

In the final, Lazio entered as favourites, but Ronaldo, who shared a room with Elias, dismissed the opposition’s confidence. He later told Mancini, “Not now, keep quiet. If you want, I’ll give you my autograph after the game.”

Inter won the final 3‑0, with Ronaldo scoring, Zanetti and Zamorano adding the other goals, cementing the South American impact on the triumph.