The 2000-01 campaign delivered a dramatic, yet ultimately unsuccessful, title defense for Lazio, as the Biancocelesti finished 3rd in Serie A. The season was defined by the stunning form of their new world-record signing, Hernán Crespo, whose league-leading 26 goals secured the coveted Capocannoniere title. Despite a mid-season managerial change from Sven-Göran Eriksson to Dino Zoff, the team, featuring global stars like Pavel Nedvěd and Juan Sebastián Verón, managed to win the Supercoppa Italiana against rivals Inter and push their Scudetto challenge to the very final weeks. It was a turbulent but memorable year that cemented Crespo's legendary status in Italian football.