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Marco Delvecchio, Vincent Montella and Francesco Totti |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
AS Roma Greatest All-Time Team
AS Roma All-Time Team for Foreign Players
This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for AS Roma's Italian players. 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.
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Bruno Conti and Roberto Pruzzo |
Team
GK: Franco Tancredi
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.
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Franco Tancredi |
GK: Guido Masetti
Born in Verona, Italy, Guido Masetti played for Hellas Verona and AS Roma from 1926 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. Masetti was a part of the teams that won two World Cups in 1934 and 1938 without playing in any of the matches.
Born in Verona, Italy, Guido Masetti played for Hellas Verona and AS Roma from 1926 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. Masetti was a part of the teams that won two World Cups in 1934 and 1938 without playing in any of the matches.
GK: Fabio Cudicini
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: Christian Panucci
Christian Panucci's breakout season was the season 1993-1994, when he played 19 games for AC Milan and won the 1994 UEFA Champions' League. The highlight of his career was perhaps his three seasons with Real Madrid. He helped them to win the UEFA Champions' League in 1998. His longest stint was, however, with AS Roma. At the international level, he had 57 caps with Italy, but his career was very rocky. He never secured a regular place with the team.
CB: Mario De Micheli
Mario De Micheli began his career with Fortitudo in 1924, where he played for three seasons. In 1927, he played for AS Rome, a new team born from the merger of Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS. He then moved to Civitavecchia, where he played until 1933. In 2014, he was inducted to the AS Roma Hall of Flame.
CB: Ubaldo Righett
Righetti played 10 seasons in Serie A for A.S. Roma, Udinese, U.S. Lecce, Bari, and Delfino Pescara 1936. With Roma, he won the Serie A title during the 1982–83 season, as well as three Coppa Italia titles. He also helped the club to reach the final of the 1984 European Cup. He notably won the Bravo Award in 1984, but his career never reached full potential. For Italy, he was capped 8 times by under manager Enzo Bearzot.
SW/RB: Giacomo Losi
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.
Christian Panucci's breakout season was the season 1993-1994, when he played 19 games for AC Milan and won the 1994 UEFA Champions' League. The highlight of his career was perhaps his three seasons with Real Madrid. He helped them to win the UEFA Champions' League in 1998. His longest stint was, however, with AS Roma. At the international level, he had 57 caps with Italy, but his career was very rocky. He never secured a regular place with the team.
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Christian Panucci |
Mario De Micheli began his career with Fortitudo in 1924, where he played for three seasons. In 1927, he played for AS Rome, a new team born from the merger of Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS. He then moved to Civitavecchia, where he played until 1933. In 2014, he was inducted to the AS Roma Hall of Flame.
CB: Ubaldo Righett
Righetti played 10 seasons in Serie A for A.S. Roma, Udinese, U.S. Lecce, Bari, and Delfino Pescara 1936. With Roma, he won the Serie A title during the 1982–83 season, as well as three Coppa Italia titles. He also helped the club to reach the final of the 1984 European Cup. He notably won the Bravo Award in 1984, but his career never reached full potential. For Italy, he was capped 8 times by under manager Enzo Bearzot.
SW/RB: Giacomo Losi
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.
CB: Sergio Santarini
Sergio Santarini played for Rimini, Internazionale, Roma, and Catanzaro. He spent 13 seasons with AS Roma, where he made his name. 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.
LB/RB/CB: Sebcastiano Nela
Sebcastiano Nela could play as a left back, rightback and sweeper. He began his career with Genoa in 1978. He joined Roma in 1981 from Geona. He was a part of the great team that won the Serie A title in 1982-83 and 3 Italian Cups. He later played briefly for Napoli. Nela was capped 5 times for Italy and went to the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.
ST/FW: Marco Delvecchio
Marco Delvecchio started with Inter Milan, but went through several clubs before settling with AS Roma in 1995. He played 10 seasons winning the 2000-2001 league there. At the international level, he represented Italy on 22 occasions between 1998 and 2004, scoring 4 goals, taking part at UEFA Euro 2000, reaching the final of the tournament, in which he scored, and at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
ST: Vincenzo Montella
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: Amadeo Amadei
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
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.
Squad Explanation
-- This team was created in may 2019. I redid it on September 2025.
-- 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.
Sebcastiano Nela could play as a left back, rightback and sweeper. He began his career with Genoa in 1978. He joined Roma in 1981 from Geona. He was a part of the great team that won the Serie A title in 1982-83 and 3 Italian Cups. He later played briefly for Napoli. Nela was capped 5 times for Italy and went to the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.
LB: Francesco Rocca
Francesco Rocca played his entire career with AS Roma. He played 18 games for the Italy national football team from 1974 to 1976. 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: Damiano Tommasi
Tommasi started his professional career with local Hellas Verona FC, in Serie B. From 1996 to 2006, he played for AS Roma, where he won the 2000 scudetto. Later in his career, he played in Spain, England and China. For the national team, he was capped 25 times between 1998 and 2003. He played in the 2002 World Cup Finals, where his goal against South Korea was disallowed during the extra-time.
DM: Daniele De Rossi
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.
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.
AM/LM: Francesco Totti
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.
AM: Giuseppe Giannini
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.
Francesco Rocca played his entire career with AS Roma. He played 18 games for the Italy national football team from 1974 to 1976. 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: Damiano Tommasi
Tommasi started his professional career with local Hellas Verona FC, in Serie B. From 1996 to 2006, he played for AS Roma, where he won the 2000 scudetto. Later in his career, he played in Spain, England and China. For the national team, he was capped 25 times between 1998 and 2003. He played in the 2002 World Cup Finals, where his goal against South Korea was disallowed during the extra-time.
DM: Daniele De Rossi
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.
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Daniele De Rossi |
DM: Attilio Ferraris
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 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.
CM:AM: Giancarlo Di Sisti
Di Sisti was known for his two stints with Roma and 9 seasons with Fiorentina in between. He helped Fiorentina winning the 1968-69 scudetto. At international level, De Sisti earned 29 caps and scored 4 goals for the Italy national football team between 1967 and 1972, making his debut on 1 November 1967, in a 5–0 home win over Cyprus in a UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying match. He later played in the European championship-winning team at Euro 1968 on home soil.
LM/AM/CM/DM: Simone Perrotta
Born in England of Italian parents, he started with Reggina and debuted in Serie B in 1995. He briefly joined Juventus, but made his name with Bari and Chievo. From 2004 to 2013, he starred for AS Roma, winning two Coppa Italia. For the national team, he was capped 48 times. He was a part of the team that won the World Cup in 2006, where he started all seven games. He also went to Euro 2004 and 2008.
CM: Carlo Ancelotti
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. The team is considered one of the greatest club sides in history. He was capped 26 times. He narrowly missed the WC Finals in 1982, but went to Mexico 1986 and 1990.
CM:AM: Giancarlo Di Sisti
Di Sisti was known for his two stints with Roma and 9 seasons with Fiorentina in between. He helped Fiorentina winning the 1968-69 scudetto. At international level, De Sisti earned 29 caps and scored 4 goals for the Italy national football team between 1967 and 1972, making his debut on 1 November 1967, in a 5–0 home win over Cyprus in a UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying match. He later played in the European championship-winning team at Euro 1968 on home soil.
LM/AM/CM/DM: Simone Perrotta
Born in England of Italian parents, he started with Reggina and debuted in Serie B in 1995. He briefly joined Juventus, but made his name with Bari and Chievo. From 2004 to 2013, he starred for AS Roma, winning two Coppa Italia. For the national team, he was capped 48 times. He was a part of the team that won the World Cup in 2006, where he started all seven games. He also went to Euro 2004 and 2008.
CM: Carlo Ancelotti
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. The team is considered one of the greatest club sides in history. He was capped 26 times. He narrowly missed the WC Finals in 1982, but went to Mexico 1986 and 1990.
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Carlo Ancelotti |
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.
AM/CM: Agostino Di Bartolomei
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.
RW: Bruno Conti 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.
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Agostino Di Bartlomei |
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.
AM/LM: Francesco Totti
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.
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Francesco Totti |
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.
ST/FW: Marco Delvecchio
Marco Delvecchio started with Inter Milan, but went through several clubs before settling with AS Roma in 1995. He played 10 seasons winning the 2000-2001 league there. At the international level, he represented Italy on 22 occasions between 1998 and 2004, scoring 4 goals, taking part at UEFA Euro 2000, reaching the final of the tournament, in which he scored, and at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
ST: Vincenzo Montella
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: Amadeo Amadei
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
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.
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Roberto Pruzzo |
Honorable Mention
Alberto Ginulfi, Paolo Conti and Francesco Antonioli, Ivan Pelizzoli, Luigi Albani, Giovanni Cervon Pierl, uigi Pizzaballa, Marco Cassetti, Pietro Vierchowod, Ubaldo Righett, Luciano Spinosi, Amedeo Carboni, Eraldo Monzeglio Onzeglio, Alessandro Florenzi, Arcadio Venturien, Luigi Di Biagio, Egidio Guarnacci, Aldo Donati, Aristide Coscia, Dino da Costa, Rodolfo Volk, Francesco Graziani, Alberto Ginulfi, Pierluigi Pizzaballa, Giorgio Carpi.
Alberto Ginulfi, Paolo Conti and Francesco Antonioli, Ivan Pelizzoli, Luigi Albani, Giovanni Cervon Pierl, uigi Pizzaballa, Marco Cassetti, Pietro Vierchowod, Ubaldo Righett, Luciano Spinosi, Amedeo Carboni, Eraldo Monzeglio Onzeglio, Alessandro Florenzi, Arcadio Venturien, Luigi Di Biagio, Egidio Guarnacci, Aldo Donati, Aristide Coscia, Dino da Costa, Rodolfo Volk, Francesco Graziani, Alberto Ginulfi, Pierluigi Pizzaballa, Giorgio Carpi.
Squad Explanation
-- This team was created in may 2019. I redid it on September 2025.
-- Giuseppe Giannini and Francesco Totti are probably the best known Italian players from AS Roma. They are the "must-in" players.
-- There are 20 Italians on my AS Roma Greatest All-Time Team. So I only have five spaces to fill up 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). Nine of them were Italians.
-- 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.
-- AS Roma won the 1982-1983 scudetto. It was an era when the best players in the world joined Serie A. From that team, I selected Agostino Di Bartlomei, Roberto Pruzzo, Bruno Conti, Franco Tancredi, Carlo Ancelotti, Giuseppe Giannini and Sebcastiano Nela. Giuseppe Giannini was a young player on the team. The code of the team reached the 1984 European Cup Final before losing to Liverpool.
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 and Francesco Antonioli. 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. 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 and Pierluigi Pizzaballa should belong to the conversation.
Defenders
-- Giacomo Losi was elected to AS Roma Hall of Flame as their starting 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 sources put him as AS Roma's greatest rightback behind Cafu.
-- On my AS Roma All-Time team, I also took Sergio Santarini. He played over 400 games at the club. 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 much coverage of this position. He was a part of the great team that won the Serie A title in 1982-83 and 3 Italian Cups. For others, I was looking at Pietro Vierchowod and Ubaldo Righett. Pietro Vierchowod made a strong impression here even though he played his only one season for AS Roma with Righett. He contributed to a Scudetto title. Ubaldo Righett contributed more to the glorified period in the 1980's. He was hinted as the next great Italian defender, but he did not live to expectation. Nevertheless, I selected him over Vierchowod.
-- I selected Mario De Micheli who was inducted to the AS Roma Hall of Flame. I do not know his actual position. One source listed him as a defender playing closest to the goalkeeper in a WM formation. He was probably a centerback in the modern term.
-- I also discovered Luciano Spinosi who was known for aerial strength, but he was more of a player for Juventus.
-- Agostino Di Bartolomei also played as a central defender, but he was chosen as a midfielder.
-- For rightback, Giacomo Losi was actually often mentioned as AS Roma's greatest rightback after Cafu. Christian Panucci was basically the only realistic choices on the right. Marco 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 and Sebastiano Nela. In 2016, I took Nela because he could also play as a central defender as well as the rightback.
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.
-- Giorgio Carpi was a historical player who joined the club in 1927, the year when the club was founded. However, he was not a starter throughout his career according to the bios. Instead, I took Simone Perrotta and Damiano Tommasi. Perrotta can play anywhere in the midfield. The team definitely needs him. Tommasi is a member of AS Roma Hall of Flame.
-- Francessco Totti spent his entire career at Roma, winning a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia titles, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. A prolific goal scorer, 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 goal scorer 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. Giancarlo Di Sisti was a star for AS Roma in the 1960's.
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Giannini "Il Principe" Giannini |
-- 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.
-- Simone Perrotta was often deployed as a left midfielder. I also took forward Marco Delvecchio who had played as a left wing forward. Totti was also deployed as a left winger, particularly under manager Zdenek Zeman. Bruno Conti also played as left winger.
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 15 years old. Both Pruzzo and Amadei were undisputed selection.
-- Francessco Totti played as a striker or false 9 late in his career.
-- Vincenzo Montella 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.
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Vincenzo Montella |
-- Roma had many great strikers. I could not take Rodolfo Volk and Francesco Graziani. Volk who played between 1928 and 1933 was the first great player in the history of the club. He was born in modern day Croatia when it was a part of Austria-Hungry. He became an Italian after Italy annexed his country. He played for AS Roma as an Italian player. I put him this all-Italian team based upon his selection for the Italy B team. He never played for any other national team, which meant he is cap-tied to Italy in the modern sense.
-- Dino da Costa also never played for his native Brazil. He played a single match for Italy against Northern Ireland in 1958, making him cap-tied to Italy.
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