Daniele De Rossi has admitted that he felt his last day with Roma was his “real retirement”, when he also opened up about his stay at Boca Juniors.
The former Italy international hung up his boots after a stint in Argentina with Boca and has come back to talk about how he felt about leaving the Giallorossi.
Daniele De Rossi has admitted that he felt his last day with Roma was his “real retirement”, when he also opened up about his stay at Boca Juniors.
The former Italy international hung up his boots after a stint in Argentina with Boca and has come back to talk about how he felt about leaving the Giallorossi.
“My real retirement was on the last day at Trigoria, it was a big blow,” De Rossi told GQ Italia. “Leaving my room, going to the Olimpico made me think it would be the last time I closed that door. I was trembling. It was devastating.”
He said he doesn’t have a bad relationship to the owner James Pallotta, who is currently in the process of being replaced as owner at the club. Dan Friedkin and The Friedkin Group look set to take over at the Olimpico.
And he said it was only natural to be disappointed about not getting a new contract after serving the Giallorossi for nearly two decades.
“Many people thought that the Friedkin Group had contacted me, but I never heard from anyone,” he revealed. “I am now waiting for a new owner to return to Roma. I never had any problems with [patron James] Pallotta.
“I was sad about not renewing my contract, but it seems obvious to me.”
The strong relationship between the club from the Italian capital and their former leader lasted for 18 years.
De Rossi has revealed that he rejected many offers from Serie A, but confessed it didn’t seem the right choice for him to prolong his career in Italy.
He added that he doesn’t regret moving to Argentina and said he still gets messages from his former teammates in Buenos Aires.
“I had several offers to continue in Serie A, but I didn’t want to add another Italian shirt to the one of Roma,” he said. “It felt like wasting a beautiful story.
“Boca has always been a dream for me, and it has been an honour. There hasn’t been a day since I moved where I didn’t feel happy at Boca.
“My former teammates still write me, to ask how I am and tell me that they miss me. There, they play with the same attitude that I had when I wore the Roma shirt. All my teammates asked me to help them come play in Italy.”