Today is Roma and Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi’s 34th birthday.
Born in the Eternal City, the veteran has spent his entire career with the Giallorossi, making over 500 appearances.
He made his debut in October 2001, in a Champions League match with Anderlecht, and also made three Coppa Italia appearances in that season.
However, he would have to wait until January 2003 to make his Serie A debut, finally making a league appearance against Como.
Today is Roma and Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi’s 34th birthday.
Born in the Eternal City, the veteran has spent his entire career with the Giallorossi, making over 500 appearances.
He made his debut in October 2001, in a Champions League match with Anderlecht, and also made three Coppa Italia appearances in that season.
However, he would have to wait until January 2003 to make his Serie A debut, finally making a league appearance against Como.
De Rossi was immediately earmarked as a potential captain, and was nicknamed ‘Capitan Futuro’; with the assumption that he’d take the armband when Francesco Totti hung up his boots.
Having made his debut the year after his boyhood team won the Scudetto, the midfielder has gone on to win two Coppe Italia for the Lupi.
He has also been a fixture of the Italy side since his debut in 2004, and he helped the Azzurri to the World Cup in 2006.
It initially appeared that De Rossi’s tournament would end in disgrace, after he was sent off against the USA for a brutal elbow on Brian McBride.
However, he made his return in the final, coming on after 61 minutes and scoring in the penalty shoot-out as Marcello Lippi’s side won the trophy.
On May 31 this year, De Rossi signed a new two-year extension to his Roma contract, and he’ll finally take over the captaincy for the coming season, as Totti has moved into a directorship role.