AS Roma Greatest All-Time Team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

His Facebook and Instagram

1982-1983 Scudetto winner

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan,
Roma, Lazio, Torino, Napoli, Fiorentina,
Sampdoria, Geona, Bologna, Parma, Udinese, Brescia.
AS Roma All-Time Team for Italian Players
AS Roma All-Time Team for Foreign Players

This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for the club.  The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.

AS Roma have won Serie A three times, first in 1941–42 then in 1982–83 and again in 2000–01, as well as winning nine Coppa Italia titles and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. On the European stage Roma won an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1960–61, coming close to European Cup victory in 1983–84 (lost the one-legged final played at home against Liverpool), and finishing as runners-up in the UEFA Cup for 1990–91 (two-legged aggregate defeat against Internazionale). Therefore, Roma is the fourth Italian club by major honours won, behind Juventus, Milan and Inter, and it is considered one of the Seven Sisters of Italian football.

2007 Supercoppa

Team
GK: Franco Tancredi (Italy)
Franco Tancredi  began his career with Giulianova, and later also played with Milan and Rimini, before joining Roma in 1977. He was long-time keeper for Roma. He played for them between 1977 and 1990, winning the league in the 1982-1983 season.   He is a member of the A.S. Roma Hall of Fame.  He played a single season with Torino before retiring.  He was capped 12 times.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1986. 

Franco Tancredi

GK: Guido Masetti (Italy)
Born in Verona, Italy, Guido Masetti played for Hellas Verona before joining AS Roma.  He played there from 1930 to 1943.  For the Italian national team, he was merely used as a stand-in for Gianpiero Combi and Aldo Olivieri. He had two caps between 1934 and 1939.  Masetti was a part of the teams that won two World Cups in 1934 and 1938 but without playing in any of the matches.

GK: Fabio Cudicini (Italy)
Fabio Cudicini  played Udinese, Roma, AC Milan and Brescia.  He was remembered for his two stints with AC Milan. Between 1967 and 1972, he played for AC Milan. He helped Milan to win the 1969 European Cup. Before Milan, he played for Roma and Udinese.  He won the Inter-Cities Fair Cup with Roma.  He was playing in the same generation as Dino Zoff, Lozenzo Buffon and Enrico Albertosi. He was uncapped.

RB: Cafu (Brazil)
Cafu is the all-time cap record holder for Brazil with 142.  He is the only man to play in three World Cup Finals, winning in 1994 and 2002.  He was the captain of the national team as they won the World Cup in 2002.  With Brazil, he also took part in four editions of the Copa América, winning the title twice, in 1997 and 1999. He played with Sao Paulo,  Real Zaragoza, Juventude, Roma, Palmeiras and AC Milan. He was South American Player of the Year in 1994.  
 
SW/RB: Giacomo Losi (Italy)
Giacomo Losi was considered one of the greatest player who ever played for AS Roma.  He earned his nickname "the Heart of Roma", during a match against Sampdoria in which Losi kept playing despite being injured. He later scored the winning goal from a corner kick. He held Roma's all-time appearance record until Francesco Totti broke it in 2007.  He won Inter-Cities fairs Cup in 1960-61.  For Italy, he was capped 11 times.  Two of his caps came at the 1962 World Cup Finals.

Gaicomo Losi

CB: Sergio Santarini (Italy)
Sergio Santarini started his career with Rimini.  He briefly played for Internazionale before spending 13 seasons with AS Roma, where he made his name.  He retired with US Catanzaro. He won three Italian Cups in 1969, 1980 and 1981. At the international level, he had two caps for Italy in 1971 and 1974.  He was elected into Roma's Hall of Flame in 2015.

CB: Walter Samuel (Argentina)
Samuel began his career with Newell's Old Boys in 1996, moving to Boca Juniors year later.  In Europe, he played with Roma, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. With Inter Milan, he won five consecutive Serie A titles; he played a key role in the club's treble success in the 2009–10 season, partnering with Lúcio in defence under José Mourinho. At international level, he has over 50 caps for Argentina, representing his country at two World Cups.

CB: Aldair (Brazil)
Aldair played for Flamengo before heading to Europe.  He started with Benfica, but he was widely remembered for his 13 seasons with Roma.  He was a member of the scudetto winning team in 2001. He was nicknamed "Pluto" by Roma fans.  The club retired his #6 jersey for 10 seasons.  For the national team, he had 80 caps.  He was a key member of the great defensive unit of the World Cup winning team in 1994.   In addition, he also played in the World Cup Finals 1990 and 1998.

Aldair

LB: Vincent Candela (France)
For his club career, Vincent Candela played with Toulouse  and Guingamp before moving to A.S. Roma in 1997.  He won one scudetto with Roma, as well as the Supercoppa Italiana, in 2001. He later played for Bolton Wanderers, Udinese, Siena and Messina. Internationally, he was a part of the great French team that won the World Cup in 1998 and then European Championship in 2000.  He had 40 caps.

LB: Francesco Rocca (Italy)  

Francesco Rocca played his entire career with AS Roma between 1972 and 1981.   He played 18 games for the Italy national football team from 1974 to 1976, scoring a goal against the United States.  He retired at the age of 26 because of a serious injury. He was nicknamed "Kawasaki"(Japanese motorcycle brand) for his pace and work rate.  He is a member of AS Roma's Hall of Fame.    

DM: Daniele De Rossi (Italy)  
At the time of writing, Daniele De Rossi has played his entire career with Roma.  De Rossi inherited the captaincy of Roma at the start of the 2017–18 season following the retirement of Francesco Totti.  He was an important player for Italy since making his national debut in 2004.  He went to every major international tournaments.  He had 117 caps after his retirement from the national team in 2017. He was a member of the 2006 World Cup winning team.  He was Italian Footballer of the Year in 2009. 

Daniele De Rossi

DM: Attilio Ferraris (Italy) 

Ferraris played 10 seasons (254 games, 2 goals) in the Serie A, for A.S. Roma, S.S. Lazio and A.S. Bari.  Ferraris had 28 caps for Italy between 1926 and 1935.  He won the bronze medal at the 1928 Olympics, and was a part of the World Cup winning team of 1934, being named to the tournament's All-Star Team for his performances.  He was the first AS Roma player to play for Italy.

CM: Fulvio Bernardini (Italy)
Fulvio Bernardini played Lazio and and Inter Milan before spending 9 seasons with Roma.  At the end of his career, he played for M.A.T.E.R. He had 26 caps for Italy from 1926 to 1932 at the international level. He was a member of the 1928 Italian Olympic team that won a bronze medal.  He was one of the first players elected to Roma's Hall of Flame. 

DM/CM: Agostino Di Bartlomei (Italy)
With Roma, Di Bartlomei formed a midfield partnership with Falcao in the mid-1980's.  He was a part of the great team that won the Serie A title in 1982-83 and 3 Italian Cups.  He is considered to be one of the greatest footballers in Roma's history.  However, he was uncapped.  In 1984, he moved A.C. Milan. After three seasons he left Milan and his career fizzled out after playing for Cesena and Salernitana.  He is a member of the A.S. Roma Hall of Fame.

Agostino Di Bartlomei

CM: Carlo Ancelotti (Italy)
Carlos Ancelotti began his career with Parma, but he made his name with AS Roma. He won the Serie A title in 1982-1983 and 4 Italian Cup's.  In 1987, he joined AC Milan and became a part of the team that won two European Cups in 1988 and 1989.  The team is considered one of the greatest club sides in history.  He was capped 26 times.  He narrowly missed the World Cup Finals in 1982, but went to Mexico 1986 and 1990.

CM: Falcao (Brazil)
At one point, Falcao was the world's highest paid footballer.  He played with Internacional at home before becoming the star of Roma in the 1980's, winning the Serie A in 1982-83. In 1985, he returned home and played for Sao Paulo. For the national team, he was a key player for the fantastic Brazilian side of 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain.  He won the Silver Ball in Spain. He also went to the World Cup Finals in 1986.

Falcao

RW/LW: Bruno Conti (Italy)
Bruno Conti was the greatest winger in Italy's history.  He was a star player as Italy won the World Cup in 1982 and also took part at the 1986 World Cup Finals. Except with two loan spells with Genoa, he played his entire career with AS Roma. The season after the World Cup Finals in 1982, he helped Roma to win the league title.  He also led them to the 1984 European Cup Final but were defeated on penalties by Liverpool.

RW: Alcides Ghiggia (Uruguay)
Alcides Ghiggia played for the national sides of both Uruguay and Italy during his career.  He was known for scoring the winning goal against Brazil in the 1950 World Cup Finals that sealed the World Cup for Uruguay.  The match was known as the "Maracanazo".    He also played for the club sides of the Peñarol and Danubio in Uruguay and A.S. Roma and A.C. Milan in Italy.

AM/LM: Francesco Totti (Italy)
Totti was the long serving captain of Roma and perhaps the greatest ever player for the club.  He brought the scudetti back to Roma in 2001 after a 20 year drought.  He was named the Italian Footballer of the Year for 2000 and 2001. He won the European Golden Boot award in 2006-2007.  A 2006 World Cup winner and Euro 2000 finalist with Italy, Totti was selected in the All-Star team for both tournaments; he also represented his country at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. 

Francesco Totti

AM: Giuseppe Giannini (Italy)
Nicknamed "Il Principe" (The Prince),  Giuseppe Giannini  was a symbol of Roma before the emerge of FrancescoTotti.  He played for AS Roma between 1982 and 1996. After AS Roma, he played in Austria for Sturm Graz, and for Napoli and Lecce in Italy. At the international level, Giannini was capped 47 times for Italy between 1986 and 1991, scoring 6 goals. He represented Italy at both Euro 1988 and the 1990 World Cup Finals hosted by Italy.

Giannini "Il Principe" Giannini 

ST: Vincenzo Montella (Italy) 
Montella played for Italian clubs Empoli, Genoa, Sampdoria and Roma, and also had a spell on loan in England with Fulham. His best years were spent with Roma, where he scored many, important goals, despite having conflicts with Coach Fabio Capello.  He won won the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana during the 2000–01 season. For Italy, he went to Euro 2000 and the WC Finals in 2002, but saw limited action. 

ST:  Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina)
Gabriel Batistuta is the current top-scorer for Argentina.  He first gained international recognition when Argentina won the Copa America in 1991 where he finished as the top scorer. He earned a move to Fiorentina spending the next 9 seasons there while becoming their all-time leading scorer.  In 2000, he moved to Roma and won the scudetto in his first season. He played 77 times for Argentina.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1994, 1998 and 2002.

ST: Amadeo Amadei (Italy)
Known as the "Eight King of Rome", Amadei made his Serie A debut in 1937 as a 15 years old.  He became the youngest ever scorer a week later when he scored against A.S. Lucchese Libertas 1905, a record still held today.  He won the Serie A in 1941-42.  He also played for Atlanta, Inter Milan and Napoli.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1950.  

ST: Roberto Pruzzo (Italy)
Pruzzo made his senior debut for Genoa in 1973, winning the Serie B title during the 1975–76 season, as well as the top scoring award.  He went to Roma in 1979, for the then record sum of 3 billions liras. He became one of the most effective Italian strikers of the 1980s, winning one scudetto during the 1982–83 season, and four Italian Cups in 1980, 1981, 1983, and 1986. He also won the Serie A top scorer award three times, in 1981, 1982, and 1986.  For Italy, he was capped 6 times and went to Euro 1980.

Roberto Pruzzo

Honorable Mention

Alberto Ginulfi (Italy), Paolo Conti (Italy), Francesco Antonioli (Italy), Alisson Becker (Brazil), Ivan Pelizzoli (Italy), Luigi Albani (Italy), Giovanni Cervone (Italy), Pierluigi Pizzaballa (Italy), Doni (Brazil)

Philippe Mexes (France), Pietro Vierchowod (Italy), Ubaldo Righett (Italy) Cristian Chivu (Romania), Luciano Spinosi (Italy) Kostas Manolas (Greece), Zago (Brazil),  Juan (Brazil), Sebastiano Nela (Italy), John Arne Riise (Norway), Amedeo Carboni (Italy), Emerson (Brazil),  Simone Perrotta (Italy),Toninho Cerezo (Brazil), Radja Nainggolan (Beglium),  Kevin Strootman (Netherlands), Giancarlo De Sisti (Italy), Gigi Di Biagio (Italy), Damiano Tommasi (Italy), , Arne Selmosson (Sweden), Pierluigi Pizzaballa (Italy), Giorgio Carpi (Italy), Arcadio Venturi (Italy), Mancini (Brazil), Luigi Di Buagio (Italy), Emerson (Brazil),  Egidio Guarnacci (Italy), Thomas Hassler (Germany), Zbigniew Boniek (Poland), Edin Dzeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Dino da Costa (Italy), Pedro Manfredini (Argentina), Francesco Graziani (Italy), Rodolfo Volk (Italy), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Rudi Voller (Germany), Abel Balbo (Argentina).

Squad Explanation
-- This team was created in August 2026.  I redid it in September 2025.

-- In recent years, AS Roma had three loyal players who spent most of their prime career with them.  In the modern era, it is difficult to keep players on the same team for a club liked AS Roma. They are Giuseppe Giannini, Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.  Bruno Conti also played his entire career with AS Roma, except for a loan deal.
-- AS Roma won the 1982-1983 scudetto.  It was an era when the best players in the world joined Serie A.  Falcao, Agostino Di Bartlomei, Roberto Pruzzo, Bruno Conti, Franco Tancredi, Carlo Ancelotti, Giuseppe Giannini and Sebcastiano Nela. Toninho Cerezo just missed out on this all-time team.  Giuseppe Giannini was a young player on the team.  

-- In 2012, the fans voted the first group of the players to be selected into AS Roma Hall of Flame.  Goalkeeper Franco Tancredi, right-back Cafu, two central defenders Giacomo Losi and Aldair, left-back Francesco Rocca, two midfielders Fulvio Bernardini and Agostino Di Bartolomei, playmaker Paulo Roberto Falcão, and three strikers Bruno Conti, Roberto Pruzzo and Amedeo Amadei were voted into the first Hall of Flames (or Best XI).

-- The Game of Goals created AS Roma's Best XI.  The lineup was as followed: Franco Tancredi, Cafu, Agostino di Bartolomei, Aldair, Vincent Candela, Daniele de Rossi, Paulo Roberto Falcão, Bruno Conti, Giuseppe Giannini, Francesco Totti and Roberto Pruzzo.

-- The nonsonoipocondriaco.wordpress.com ranked 10 greatest players for AS Roma: 1) Francesco Totti, 2) Paulo Roberto Falcão, 3) Bruno Conti, 4) Daniele de Rossi, 5) Roberto Pruzzo, 6) Agostino Di Bartolomei, 7) Carlos Ancelotti, 8) Cafu, 9) Franco Tancredi, 10) Gabriel Omar Batistuta.

-- In 2022, the Gentleman Ultra created its own All-Time Best XI.  It was based upon what the author have seen in his life.  The lineup: Allison Becker, Cafu, Aldair, Walter Samuel, Vincent Candela, Giuseppe Giannini, Emerson, Daniele De Rossi, Francesco Totti, Antonio Cassano and Eden Dzeko.

-- The 2022 Conference Cup was their first major trophy in Europe. Nicola Zalewski, Gianluca Mancini,  Nicolò Zaniolo, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Tammy Abraham were the big stars on the team.

-- AS Roma won another Serie A title in the 2000-2001 season.  Francisco Totti, Vincenzo Montella, Marco Delvecchio, Cafu, Aldair and Vincent Candela made my all-time team.

2000-2001 Serie A Title

Goalkeepers

-- So, I have Franco Tancredi and Guido Masetti as my first two goalkeepers.  Franco Tancred was the symbol between the posts of Roma in the 1980s.  He was the protagonist of the 1982/83 Scudetto title and great European nights. Guido Masetti helped AS Roma to win its first Serie A title in 1942.  He was considered to be one of the strongest goalkeepers in 1930s and 1940s, but he was behind Gianpiero Combi and Aldo Olivieri on the national team. He was a part of the team that won two World Cups in 1934 and 1938 without playing in any of the matches.

-- The third keeper was between, Alberto Ginulfi, Fabio Cudicini, Paolo Conti, Francesco Antonioli and Allison Becker. Alberto Ginulfi's longvity with the club gave him some edge., Paolo Conti also spent 9 seasons with the club while winning the Italian Cup. Francesco Antonioli was well-decorated in AS Roma, but his reputation outside of Italy was overshadowed by playing in the same era as Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Toldo.  He was an uncapped player but travelled to the Euro 2000. Allison Becker was one of the best goalkeepers in the world while playing in Rome, but he only started for a single season. Fabio Cudicini six seasons, collecting 166 league appearances, and winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1960–61 and a Coppa Italia in 1964, but he was known as an All-Time great for AC Milan rather than AS Roma.  In the end, he still seemed to be a safe bet.

-- Ivan Pelizzoli, Luigi Albani, Giovanni Cervone, Pierluigi Pizzaballa and Doni should belong to the conversation.

Defenders

-- Giacomo Losi and Aldair were elected into AS Roma Hall of Flame as startimg central defenders.  Losi made 450 appearances with AS Roma, a record which lasted for 38 years.  He started as a rightback and also played as a leftback, but in 1959 he was converted into a libero.  Some source put him as AS Roma's greatest rightback behind Cafu. Aldair spent most of his professional career at  AS Roma, where he later also served as captain, winning the Serie A title with the club in 2001. His number 6 jersey was retired by the club.  Walter Samuel was often talked in the same level as Aldair.  He also easily got selected into the team.

Walter Samuel

-- The fourth central defender was difficult chose. In 2016, I took Sergio Santarini.  For others, I was looking at Pietro Vierchowod, Ubaldo Righett and Philippe Mexes.  Pietro Vierchowod made a strong impression here even through he played just one season for AS Roma.  He contributed to a Scudetto title.  Ubaldo Righett also played the glorified period in the 1980's.  He was hinted as the next great Italian defender, but he did not live to expectation. Mexes formed a central defensive partnership with Cristian Chivu.  I also discovered Luciano Spinosi who was known for aerial strenglth, but he was more of a player for Juventus.  So, I kept Santarini who played over 400 games over here.

-- Agostino Di Bartolomei also played as a central defender, but he was chosen as a midfielder.

-- For rightback, Giacomo Losi was sometimes mentioned as AS Roma's greatest rightback after Cafu.  Cafu, of course, was considered to be one of the greatest rightbacks ever played in the game.  And he played for this club during his prime. Christian Panucci was basically the only realistic choices on the right.  He and Cassetti had solid spells and are remembered fondly, though not at the same legendary level.

-- Francesco Rocca was selected as AS Roma's greatest for the leftback position.  It was hard not to select him.   Then, I had to choose between Amedeo Carboni, Vincent Candela and Sebastiano Nela. In 2016,  I took Nela because he could also play as a central defender as well as the rightback.  However, I do not need so many coverage of these position.  He was a part of the great team that won the Serie A title in 1982-83 and 3 Italian Cups.  In 2025, I decided to select Vincent Candela.

Midfielders/Wingers

-- Agostino Di Bartlomei and Daniele De Rossi were two disputed selections for this team for the deep midfielder position.  Di Bartlomei captained Roma during one of its most successful eras, including the 1983 Scudetto and the 1984 European Cup final. He was the deep-Lying Playmaker dictating the tempo with intelligent passing and composure. De Rossi spent nearly two decades at Roma, becoming a symbol of grit and commitment.  Both were often ranked among the club's greatest players.

-- Attilio Ferraris was also a very important player for Italy's World Cup winning team of 1934, making it to the tournament's All-Star Team for his performances. As for Carlo Ancelotti, while he is often linked with AC Milan in the 1980s, his career began much earlier at AS Roma, where he was instrumental during one of the club's most successful eras. In fact, he spent more years at Roma than at Milan and was twice named to the Serie A Team of the Year (1983, 1986) during his time there.

-- Fulvio Bernardini joined Roma in 1928 , a year after the club was founded, and stayed  until 1939, leading the team as captain in the centre-half role. He and Attilio Ferraris IV formed one of the strongest midfield partnerships in the league.  He was among the first idols of the club.

-- I have no more spot for Simone Perrotta, Emerson, Damiano Tommasi and Toninho Cerezo.  All of the players deserved a space on the 25 team.

-- Falcao led AS Roma to a Serie A title in 1983, their first in 40 years.  When he was with the club, AS Roma never finished out the top three in the league with Falcao on the side.  He was named ‘The Eighth King of Rome’.

-- Francessco Totti spent his entire career at Roma, winning a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia titles, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. A prolific goalscorer, he is the second-highest scorer of all time in Italian league history with 250 goals, and is the sixth-highest scoring Italian in all competitions with 316 goals. Totti is the top goalscorer and the most capped player in Roma's history. 

-- Giuseppe Giannini was the symbol of  AS Roma before the emerge of Totti.  Known as "Il Principe" (The Prince), he won a Serie A title, three Coppa Italia titles for AS Roma.

-- On the right, Bruno Conti was the greatest winger in Italy's history. Except with two loan spells with Genoa, he played his entire career with AS Roma.  He was a left side player who usually played on the right side, but capable as an attack midfielder and left winger.  The signing of Alcides Ghiggia was a big news for AS Roma fans in 1953 because he was known as the star player who scored the winning goal against Brazil in the 1950 World Cup Finals that sealed the World Cup for Uruguay.  He was elected to AS Roma Hall of Flame.

Bruno Conti

-- After selecting 24 players, the team lacked a good left midfielder or left winger.  I was considering Zbigniew Boniek. Boniek only played briefly for the club and was not in his prime.  It would be hard to select him over other players.  In 2016, I took Marco Delvecchio who had played as a left wing forward.  He got ahead of other Roma attacking legends such as Gabriel Batistuta and Pedro Manfredini.  Totti was also deployed as a left winger, particularly under manager Zdenek Zeman.  Bruno Conti also played as left winger.   Suddenly, Delvecchio became expansible. 

Forwards

-- For forwards, Roberto Pruzzo is the second all-time highest scorer for this club after Franisco Totti.  He also won the Serie A top scorer award three times, in 1981, 1982, and 1986.  Known as the "Eight King of Rome", Amedeo Amadei made his Serie A debut in 1937 as a 15 years old.  Both Pruzzo and Amadei were undisputed selection.

-- Francessco Totti played as a striker or false 9 late in his career.

-- Gabriel Batistuta appeared in many all-time list for AS Roma. Instead, I took his teammate and actually backup Vincenzo Montella.  He helped to bring him the Serie A title in 2001, of course.  Known as  "L'Aeroplanino" (The Little Airplane), he was reduced to a sub role that season, but he scored winning goals against Atalanta, Brescia, Inter Milan and Reggina, as well as equalizers against AC Milan and Juventus that season, making him an important player for the club.  He played here much longer than the Argentine.  

--Since I created this team in 2026, Edin Džeko has become the third all-time leading scorer of the club. He helped AS Roma reach the Champions League semifinal in the 2017-2018 season. He truly deserved a spot, but in 2025, I was weighing his merits against Batistuta’s.  Batigol’s impact on the 2000-01 Scudetto was immense, but that was his only standout season with the club. However, he was the missing piece that secured AS Roma the title that year, ending their 20-year league title drought. If he had never joined Roma, they might still be chasing that elusive league title since 1983, making him significant in their history.

-- Rodolfo Volk who played between 1928 and 1933 was the first great player in the history of the club.  He was in consideration alongside Rudi Voller.

2022 Conference League winner

Formation
Fabio Cudicini was the most famous keeper, but Guido Masetti and Tancredi were more identified with the club. De Rossi earned his starting position over Ancelotti.  I reunited Falcao with Di Bartlomei. Then, I tried to use two playmakers up front and Pruzzo as the lone striker.