” A.S. Roma – What’s in a Name? “
Well, everything, if you are born in Rome, and your football side’s colour’s are the famous maroon and orange with the even more famous head of the she-wolf on your side’s badge.
The centre of the universe was certainly here on a clear, June sunny afternoon a couple of weeks after the A.S.Roma Club had won their 3rd championship, finishing on top of the table in the 2000/2001 season, when over a million supporters descended upon the ancient Circo Massimo to celebrate.
I happen to be part of that wonderful day, quite by accident, and it was then I felt the real joy and what their soccer side means for Romans.
Beyond the Game
In a city that has been mauled and abused by an ever-passing parade of politicians, usually from other parts of Italy, that in truth have given scant regard to Rome and its many social and economic problems, the Romans themselves have found pride and belief in their A.S. Roma Soccer 11 man squad that enters the arena to represent their beloved city and just as importantly, to battle the much richer soccer giants of the north, A.C. Milan, Juventus and the dreaded Inter.
When this David and Goliath battle is played to a full Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with some 82,000 fans screaming and singing passionately, willing their side to victory, then you will know something about the joy of this city and how its people wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Francesco Totti was a large reason for the last title victory, and he has become one of the main heroes in the club’s history. A local boy who was good enough to reach soccer’s greatest heights and bag many of its riches’ still captains the side. He is the talisman, he is Roma. He is the conductor of the A.S. Roma Team players who today are:
Julio Sergio, Max Tonetto, Sugar David, Alberto Aquilani, Artur, Andrea Bertolacci, Doni (goal-keeper), Matteo Brighi, Pietro Pipolo, Marco D’Alessandro, Riccardo Brosco, Daniele De Rossi, Marco Cassetti, Ribeiro Gomes Filipi, Alessandro Crescenzi, Simone Perrotta, Diamoutene, Adrian Pit, Cicinho, David Pizarro, Simone Loria, Adrian Stoian, Alessandro Malomo, Taddei, Philippe Mexes, Julio Baptista, Motta, Menez, Panucci, Montella and Riise.
These men are the modern gladiators of Rome who are currently coached by Luciano Spalletti, and when on derby day we have the A.S. Roma Lazio clash, the Eternal City dresses in a sea of the colour’s of both squads as thousands descend upon the Olympico to live their lives of hero’s and villains via the fortunes of their soccer sides.
This rivalry goes back to the founding of the Associazione Sportiva (A.S.) Roma in the summer of 1927 by Italo Foschi, who initiated the merger of three older Italian Football Championship clubs from the city of Rome; Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace, and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS.
The purpose of the merger, as demanded by the Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, was to give the Eternal City a strong club to rival the more dominant Northern Italian clubs of the time. Sadly that dominance is still painfully obvious today.
The only major Roman club to resist the merger was SS Lazio soccer club which was already a well-established sporting society. The Lazio club sees itself as the 1st and, therefore, the most important side in the capital. But that reality was a long time ago, and A.S.Roma today carries the pride and dreams of the Romani on its shoulders with every new season.
This story is dedicated to the passion of the greatest supporters in world soccer, who have one of the best songs that says it all. Grazie Roma by Antonello Venditti.
The place to go to purchase A.S.Roma Tickets and catch up with all the gialle rossi news is to visit the A.S.Roma official website at: https://www.asroma.it/