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Back then, alongside Andriy Shevchenko, Ricardo Kaka, and Alberto Gilardino, Filippo Inzaghi scored a lot of crucial goals for AC Milan, ripping defenses apart as the Rossoneri ruled the World.
Yet, following his retirement, Milan struggled to find a long-term replacement.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mario Balotelli did write remarkable stories in Milan colors, but their charms weren't sophisticated enough to roll back the glory years at San Siro.
Between 2012 and 2014, as AC Milan youth coach, Filippo Inzaghi had the privilege of mentoring a certain Patrick Cutrone. Under the tutelage of the immortal Inzaghi, the Milan protege familiarized himself with the fundamentals of goalscoring, and waited patiently for his time, unaware that the Gods had reserved a role for him in Milan's resurgence.
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Besides sharing the same national heritage as his teacher, Cutrone shares a common identity with Inzaghi - a burning passion for the Milan badge, scoring goals, and mental awareness of being in the right place at the right time.
When AC Milan promoted the Como-born youth product to the first team, the idea was based upon the need for attacking depth - more options on the bench. The €60m acquisition of Andre Silva and Nikola Kalinic was proof that the Rossoneri hierarchy lacked faith in the youngster's ability to lead the lines
He proved them wrong.
While Silva and Kalinic caved under expectations, failing to replicate their beastly brilliance in Milan colors, the young Patrick Cutrone took his chances under the no-nonsense leadership of Gennaro Gattuso, exploding and taking the bull by the horn as Milan tried to awaken from their slumber.
During the International Champions Cup in July 2017, while Vincenzo Montella was still in charge, Cutrogol bagged a brace at the Longgang stadium as Milan romped to a 4-0 win over Bayern in Shenzhen, China.
It was a pre-season friendly, and Die Roten probably didn't take it seriously, but for some visionary football minds, the handwriting on the wall was clear; Cutrone and his insatiable appetite for goals would shape Milan's fortunes in an otherwise mixed campaign.
In August, at the Stadio Ezio Scida, in a Serie A fixture that produced four yellows and one red, Cutrone scored Milan's second goal in the 3-0 defeat of Crotone. The Primavera graduate followed it up with another strike in Il Diavolo's 2-1 win over Cagliari, but it would take another three months for the passionate young man to score another Serie A goal.
However, it was during these dark times - on a historically memorable night in December- that the Italian scored perhaps, the most important goal of his career to date.
In a very intriguing Derby della Madonnina, after 120 minutes of intense rivalry, six yellow cards, and scattered episodes of touchline drama, it was Patrick Cutrone's strike in the 104th minute - latching onto Suso's cross and firing past Handanovic - that put Milan in the Coppa Italia Semi-final, sparking wild celebrations at full-time.
By now, Vincenzo Montella was gone and there was a familiar face barking orders from Milan's dugout.
That goal liberated AC Milan, it eased the pressure on Gennaro Gattuso too, and it's not surprising at all that things soon took a positive twist afterwards.
Patrick Cutrone's reputation as a rising star won him admirers all over the Peninsula, and while his Lega Serie A goal drought culminated in Milan's dip in form, the Azzurri forward reclaimed his status as a fan favorite in 2018, scoring in crucial wins against Lazio, SPAL, Roma, and Chievo as Milan went on a 10-game unbeaten streak (eight wins and two draws).
It felt good to be a Milanisti again, and Cutrone was at the heart of it all.
The 20-year-old, who was initially brought in as a spare part and apprentice, finished the season as Milan's top scorer with 18 goals in 46 appearances.
Gennaro Gattuso's men started 2018/19 on a wrong foot, throwing away a 2-goal lead in Naples as SSC Napoli orchestrated a 3-2 comeback, but against AS Roma, despite being on the field for just 10-minutes, the insatiable poacher put the Rossoneri's season back on track -scoring a stoppage-time winner after coming on as a late substitute.
Whether you're recruiting Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus, or bringing in Samu Castillejo from Villarreal, the gospel truth remains; the venom of Patrick Cutrone will always be instrumental in ushering in a new dawn at Milan.
