GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
On Saturday 23rd February, 2019, Daniele De Rossi wore the Roma captain's armband for the 200th time.
Roma ran out 3-2 winners over Frosinone thanks to a late Edin Dzeko goal. The reverse fixture back in September had been De Rossi's 600th game for the club, and once again, a match against Frosinone was a significant occasion for the Rome-born defensive midfielder. It marked another impressive milestone for the club legend, who stands second in the Giallorossi's all-time appearance charts. De Rossi has dedicated his entire career to Roma, and for most of that time, he has been a crucial part of the team's leadership hierarchy. De Rossi's performance against Frosinone was far from his best. However, he did play a pivotal role in the winning goal, sending a superb long ball over the top with his weaker left foot, which went right into Stephan El Shaarawy's path. The winger crossed for Dzeko, who bundled it home. Even when he has been off the pace, De Rossi can still find a way to inspire his team to much-needed victory. He is a born winner and refuses to give up. That's what has made him such a great leader over the years. De Rossi's achievement of wearing the armband 200 times is even more remarkable considering he has only technically been the official club captain for one-and-a-half seasons now. The presence of Francesco Totti in the team meant that, despite De Rossi's strong leadership characteristics, he was always, naturally, second in command. Given the nickname of 'Capitan Futuro' long before he assumed the role of captain, De Rossi was always the go-to man when Totti was absent - particularly in the later years of the King of Rome's career. Few players in football history have served so honourably as a vice-captain for such a long period of time. The n0ble De Rossi understood his position. He complimented Totti's leadership style and helped the team to have a big voice in all areas of the pitch. De Rossi first wore the captain's armband in March 2006, at the age of 22. It was the second leg of Roma's UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie with Middlesbrough. Luciano Spalletti's side had lost the first leg 1-0, and went behind in the second leg as well. Mancini scored a brace to give Roma the win on the night, but they were eliminated on away goals. Nevertheless, that day will still go down in Roma history, as the first time one of the club's all-time greats led the side out. A little over two years later, De Rossi got to captain the side in a cup final, as the Lupi beat Inter to win the Coppa Italia for the second year in a row. Unlike the previous season, Totti was not involved in the match, so it was De Rossi who got to act as the club's symbol at the Stadio Olimpico, leading the side to a 2-1 triumph. Unfortunately, to this day, it remains the last trophy that De Rossi and Roma won. A great leader deserves to have won more honours after all the commitment he has given and quality he has shown, but that doesn't lower him in the estimations of his supporters. He remains a club idol. As the years went by, De Rossi continued to ensure that Roma were not without leadership in the absence of Totti. Having such a loyal pair together for so long is something that every Roma fan should be proud of being able to witness. One day, the time would come for the latter to move on from his playing days. It was a bittersweet time for De Rossi, who finally got to shed the 'Futuro' part of his nickname, but would no longer be playing with his long-time teammate and friend. De Rossi is a model professional though, and he inherited the armband with class. His first competitive game in his new official role was the 1-0 win over Atalanta at the start of the 2017-18 season. His performances that year varied in quality, but in the second half of the season, he really started to step up and use his leadership to take Roma into uncharted territory. He was a crucial part of the side's run to the Champions League semi-finals. On the miraculous night of the 3-0 win over Barcelona in the second leg of the quarter-finals, De Rossi was immense. He set up the opening goal for Edin Dzeko with a trademark aerial pass, before holding his nerve to score the second from the penalty spot in front of the Curva Sud. True leaders step up when the pressure is at its highest, and De Rossi has always known how to do that. This season, he has continued to flourish as captain, more than a decade on from when he first wore the armband. Now with over 600 Roma appearances to his name, he has cemented himself as a club legend, and one of the Giallorossi's best ever captains. In the game prior to the Frosinone win, against Bologna, De Rossi had come on as a substitute. Captain for the day, Alessandro Florenzi, threw the armband in his direction, but DDR sent it straight back with a look of disgust. De Rossi doesn't need an armband to lead. After all those years as a vice captain, it should have been obvious. De Rossi isn't arrogant enough to demand the armband. He's still a humble servant who puts side before self. And that only adds to the respect that he commands. But nonetheless, it still looks a whole lot better when the armband is on De Rossi. Even now, the team tend to function much better with him in the starting lineup. He remains the beating heartbeat of the team, even if he has the odd off-day. He continues to fight for every lost cause, to inspire his teammates to work harder, and to step up and take responsibility when his team need him most. He guides his hometown club with passion, grit and determination. In many ways, De Rossi is the epitome of what it means to be a captain.
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samuel bannister
Founder and editor of Giallorossi Yorkshire, who is also a columnist for Roma's official website about the women's team. Categories
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