AS Roma Best All-Time XI
Gregory Caltabanis
4 Yrs Ago
AS Roma has not lifted the Scudetto since its last triumph almost 20 years ago, but the Giallorossi remain one of calcio’s biggest clubs to this day. One of Serie A’s Seven Sisters, Roma has always been at the forefront of Italian football and has seen some of Italy’s finest players come through their ranks over the course of their rich 92-year history.
With a new manager at the helm, the Giallorossi are now looking to establish themselves as title contenders and emerge on the European stage once again.
Over the years, some of the world’s very best players have arrived in the nation’s capital looking to make a name for themselves. With the passionate Roma faithful spurring them on at the Stadio Olimpico, some quickly became fan favorites while others were soon forgotten.
Here is Roma’s All-Time XI:
Franco Tancredi
The goalkeeper had brief stints with Milan and Rimini before joining Roma in 1977. Despite his relatively small frame, Tancredi was among the most reliable shot-stoppers of his era and was quick off his line to thwart opposing strikers.
Throughout his time in the nation’s capital, the veteran custodian got a reputation as a penalty shot specialist. In his 13 years with the club, the Giulianova native made 288 appearances and won five titles, including a historic Scudetto in 1983. Tancredi retired after spending his final season with Torino and was recently inducted into the club’s hall of fame.
Vincent Candela
The Frenchman joined in 1997 alongside Cafu and formed one of the league’s most potent fullback pairings. Candela was an offensive fullback by nature and used his incredible turn of pace to beat his man. Naturally right footed, the World Cup winner often cut on to his preferred left and delivered accurate crosses.
Throughout his eight years with the club, Candela made 289 appearances, winning two titles, including a Scudetto and a Supercup. He also featured 40 times for his nation, winning a World Cup and a European Championship in 1998.
Aldair
The defender spent 13 seasons with the Giallorossi and is currently their most capped foreign player ever, featuring 436 times. Confident in possession, Aldair often stepped into midfield and orchestrated attacks. The Brazilian was equally adept at finding teammates with long balls and was a true ball-playing centerback.
Before returning to Brazil to finish his career, Aldair won three titles with Roma, including a Scudetto and a Coppa Italia. His number six jersey was retired until Kevin Strootman received his blessing to don the kit in 2013.
Giacomo Losi
The defender spent his entire 14-year career with Roma, joining the side in 1955 from his hometown club Soncino. Five years later, Losi was awarded the armband and captained the side until he retired. The Roma man initially came through the ranks as a fullback but was later converted into a sweeper.
The Giallorossi faithful eventually gave him the nickname, the Heart of Rome, due to his heroics in a 3-2 win over Sampdoria. With the score level at two and with no substitutions remaining, Losi injured himself, but persevered and kept playing. The defender would inevitably score the winner from a corner kick.
Losi retired in 1969 after making 386 appearances for the club, with a Coppa Italia and an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup to his name.
Cafu
The Brazilian joined Roma in 1997 and quickly established himself as one of the best fullbacks in the world. Known for his ability to bomb forward at will, Cafu was given the nickname, Il Pendolino, the Express Train, by Italian media and was a constant menace on both sides of the ball.
The fullback was a central figure in Roma’s title-winning season in 2001, making 31 appearances. Just a year later, the São Paulo native hoisted his second World Cup with Brazil. Throughout his six-year stint with the club, Cafu made 218 appearances in all competitions.
Paulo Roberto Falcão
Roma splashed 650,000 pounds to secure the Brazilian’s signature from Internacional in 1980 and he did not disappoint. The Brazilian was a technically gifted playmaker and was crucial in Nils Liedholm’s setup. Falcão led the Giallorossi to a Scudetto win in 1983, scoring seven goals in 27 appearances.
His exploits were well-received by the Roma faithful, who dubbed him the Eighth King of Rome. Falcão spent five seasons with the club, making 152 appearances and scored 27 goals.
Agostino Di Bartolomei
Di Bartolomei joined Roma’s youth setup at the age of 14 and made his debut for the club in 1972. The midfielder acted as the side’s deep-lying playmaker but also possessed a keen eye for goal, as evidenced by his 69 goals.
With Liedholm at the helm, Di Bartolomei was awarded the captain’s arm band and played an integral role in their Scudetto triumph in 1983. The following year, the midfielder led the Giallorossi to the European Cup final but lost in a shootout to Liverpool. In his 12 seasons with the club, he made 314 appearances and added a further three Coppa Italia titles to his resume.
Daniele De Rossi
De Rossi came through the club’s youth ranks and shortly established himself as a key piece at the heart of Fabio Capello’s midfield. The World Cup winner spent 18 years with the club, making 616 appearances and is currently Roma’s second all-time appearance leader only behind Francesco Totti.
De Rossi was typically deployed in front of Roma’s back four and is as complete a midfielder as they come. Equally capable of breaking up play as he is at orchestrating it, the midfielder was the lynchpin in Roma’s and Italy’s midfield for the past decade. Beyond his international success, De Rossi won two Coppa Italia titles and one Super Cup with the Giallorossi.
Bruno Conti
Aside from two brief loan spells with Genoa, the Nettuno native spent most of his playing career with the club. Conti was predominantly deployed on the right wing and quickly established himself as a creative force for both club and country, using his pace and trickery to devastate the opposition.
The diminutive winger spent 18 years with the club, scoring 47 goals in 403 appearances, winning one Scudetto and five Coppa Italia titles. Conti was also regular for the national team, having featured in every game in their 1982 World Cup triumph.
He is currently the head of the club’s youth sector.
Roberto Pruzzo
Pruzzo joined Roma for a record fee of three billion lire in 1978 after spending the first five seasons of his career with his hometown club Genoa. The Italian striker was as prolific as they come, scoring 138 goals in 315 appearances for the club. In fact, only Totti has more goals than him in Roma colors. A true predator in the box, Pruzzo was regularly in the right place at the right time.
Throughout his 10-year stint with the club, Pruzzo won the Capocannoniere award as Serie A leading scorer on three occasions and won five titles, including a Scudetto.
Francesco Totti
Totti debuted for the club at 16 years old and quickly made a name for himself in the nation’s capital. Er Purpone spent his entire career with Roma, regularly rejecting big-money moves to Europe’s giants. The Roma man was prolific in front of goal but his vision and creativity are what made him truly special, as evidenced by his 201 assists.
Throughout his 25 years with the club, Totti made 785 appearances and scored 307 goals. The World Cup winner holds the club record for most goals and appearances and is currently second in all-time Serie A scoring behind Silvio Piola. With Roma, Totti won four titles, including two Coppa Italia trophies.