AS Roma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Roma

Full name	Associazione Sportiva Roma S.p.A.
Nickname(s)	I Giallorossi (The Yellow and Reds) I Lupi (The Wolves) La Magica (The Magic One)
Founded	7 June 1927; 98 years ago (1927-06-07) (as Italo Foschi)
Ground	Stadio Olimpico
Ground Capacity	70,634
Owner	The Friedkin Group (95.97%)
President	Dan Friedkin
Head coach	Gian Piero Gasperini
League	Serie A
2018–19	Serie A, 6th of 20
Home colours

Associazione Sportiva Roma, often called AS Roma or simply Roma, is a professional football club from Rome, Italy. It was formed in 1927 when three older clubs merged. Roma has almost always played in Italy's top football league, Serie A, missing only one season in 1951–52.

The club has won the Serie A title three times: in 1941–42, 1982–83, and 2000–01. They have also won the Coppa Italia nine times and the Supercoppa Italiana twice. In European competitions, Roma won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1960–61 and the UEFA Conference League in 2021–22. They were also runners-up in the 1983–84 European Cup, the 1990–91 UEFA Cup, and the 2022–23 UEFA Europa League.

Many famous players have won the FIFA World Cup while playing for Roma. These include Bruno Conti (1982), Aldair (1994), Cafu (2002), and Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta, and Francesco Totti (2006). Most recently, Paulo Dybala won it in 2022.

Since 1953, Roma has played its home games at the Stadio Olimpico. They share this stadium with their city rivals, Lazio. The Stadio Olimpico can hold over 70,000 fans, making it the second-largest stadium in Italy. Roma and Lazio have a strong local rivalry, and their matches are known as the Derby della Capitale.

Roma's home colours are carmine red and golden yellow, which is why they are nicknamed "I Giallorossi" (The Yellow and Reds). The club's badge features a she-wolf, which is a symbol from the ancient myth of Rome's founding.

Club History: A Journey Through Time

How AS Roma Started

Attilio Ferraris, Roma's captain in the early years.

AS Roma was created in 1927. It happened when three older football clubs in Rome – Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace, and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS – joined together. This merger was started by Italo Foschi, a key figure in the ruling National Fascist Party.

The main goal was to create one strong club in the Italian capital. This new club would be able to compete with the powerful teams from Northern Italy. Only Lazio did not join the merger. Even though the three founding clubs had been relegated, the new AS Roma team was given a special chance to play in the top league, the Divisione Nazionale.

Roma first played at the Motovelodromo Appio stadium. Then, they moved to a wooden stadium called Campo Testaccio in 1929. In the 1930–31 season, Roma finished second in the league. Players like captain Attilio Ferraris, Guido Masetti, Fulvio Bernardini, and Rodolfo Volk were very important during this time.

First Big Win and Later Challenges

The Roma team that won their first league title in 1942.

After some ups and downs, Roma built a stronger team. They added great goal scorers like Enrique Guaita. In 1935–36, under manager Luigi Barbesino, Roma almost won their first title, finishing just one point behind Bologna.

Roma then achieved an amazing victory in the 1941–42 season, winning their first scudetto (league title). Local player Amedeo Amadei scored 18 goals, which was key to this win. At that time, Italy was involved in World War II.

After the war, Roma struggled to keep their top position. They finished in the lower half of Serie A for five seasons. In 1950–51, they were relegated to Serie B for the only time in their history. However, they quickly returned to Serie A the next season under manager Giuseppe Viani.

Back in Serie A, Roma became a strong team again. They had players like Egisto Pandolfini and Dino da Costa. In 1954–55, they finished as runners-up. Even though they didn't win the league, Roma found success in cup competitions. In 1960–61, they won their first international trophy, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, by beating Birmingham City. A few years later, in 1963–64, Roma won their first Coppa Italia trophy.

In 1964–65, the club faced financial problems. Supporters helped by raising money, and a new president, Franco Evangelisti, saved the club from bankruptcy. Roma won their second Coppa Italia in 1968–69. Giacomo Losi became a club legend, playing 450 games for Roma by 1969.

Ups and Downs from the 1970s to the 1990s

Club captain Giacomo Losi holding the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1961.

In 1972, Roma won another cup, the Anglo-Italian Cup. Throughout the 1970s, Roma's league performance was mixed. Their best finish was third place in 1974–75. Players like Giancarlo De Sisti and Francesco Rocca were important during this time.

A new successful era began with another Coppa Italia win in 1979–80. Roma then came very close to winning the league in 1980–81, finishing second to Juventus. The team was managed by Nils Liedholm and included stars like Bruno Conti, Agostino Di Bartolomei, Roberto Pruzzo, and Falcão.

Roma finally won their second scudetto in 1982–83, after 41 years. The city of Rome celebrated hugely. The next season, Roma finished second in Italy and won another Coppa Italia. They also reached the European Cup final but lost to Liverpool in a penalty shootout. Roma's successful 1980s ended with a second-place league finish in 1985–86 and another Coppa Italia win.

After this, Roma's league performance declined. One highlight was a third-place finish in 1987–88. In 1991, Roma reached the UEFA Cup final but lost to Internazionale. In the same season, they won their seventh Coppa Italia. The rest of the 1990s were not as successful for Roma in the league. However, a young striker named Francesco Totti emerged, who would become a club icon.

Third League Title in the Sensi Era

June 17, 2001 – Roma won their third Italian championship. Fans in the Curva Sud celebrated.

Roma won their third Serie A title in 2000–01. They secured the Scudetto on the final day of the season by beating Parma 3–1, finishing two points ahead of Juventus. Captain Francesco Totti was a huge part of this victory and became one of the club's greatest heroes. Other key players included Aldair, Cafu, Gabriel Batistuta, and Vincenzo Montella.

In the following years, Roma often finished as runners-up in both Serie A and the Coppa Italia. They were second to Juventus in 2001–02 and to Milan in 2003–04.

Francesco Totti, with the 2007–08 Coppa Italia trophy.

In 2006, Roma players Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, and Simone Perrotta were part of the Italy team that won the FIFA World Cup. Roma was not involved in the Calciopoli scandal that year. After the scandal, Roma was re-classified as runners-up for the 2005–06 Serie A season. In 2006–07 and 2007–08, Roma finished second in Serie A again. In the UEFA Champions League, they reached the quarter-finals in both seasons, losing to Manchester United. In 2008–09, Roma won their Champions League group for the first time but lost to Arsenal in the knockout stage.

In the 2009–10 season, Claudio Ranieri became head coach after a tough start. Roma then went on an amazing 24-match unbeaten run in the league. They even beat rivals Lazio after being 1–0 down at half-time. Roma briefly topped the league but finished runners-up to Internazionale in both Serie A and the Coppa Italia. The 2000s were a very successful decade for Roma, with a league title, two Coppa Italia trophies, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles.

American Ownership and Recent Years

In 2011, the Sensi family, who had owned Roma since 1993, sold the club. An American investment group led by Thomas R. DiBenedetto took over. James Pallotta later became the club president in 2012.

The new owners brought in Luis Enrique as manager and signed players like Erik Lamela and Miralem Pjanić. In 2013, Rudi Garcia became the new manager. He led Roma to a record-breaking ten straight wins at the start of the 2013–14 season. Roma finished second to Juventus for two seasons in a row.

In 2016, Luciano Spalletti returned as manager. He helped Roma climb from mid-table to a third-place finish in Serie A. In 2017, club legend Francesco Totti played his 786th and final game for Roma before retiring. Daniele De Rossi took over as club captain.

In 2017–18, under new manager Eusebio Di Francesco, Roma had a fantastic run in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League. They famously came back from a 4–1 first-leg defeat to beat Barcelona 3–0 at home, reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 1984. They then lost to Liverpool in a close match. Roma finished third in Serie A that season.

In 2018, Roma sold key players like Alisson and Nainggolan. The 2018–19 season saw them knocked out of the Champions League by Porto. Di Francesco was replaced by Claudio Ranieri as caretaker manager. Roma finished sixth in the league, missing out on the Champions League.

The Friedkin Era and European Success

In August 2020, American businessman Dan Friedkin bought AS Roma. He became the new president.

In 2021, José Mourinho became the new manager. He led Roma to win the first-ever UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022, beating Feyenoord in the final. This was a big moment for the club, bringing a new European trophy to Rome.

Club Identity: Colors, Nicknames, and Symbols

Roma's colours, carmine red and golden yellow, are the traditional colours of Rome itself. They represent the city's history and imperial dignity. The team usually wears white shorts and black socks with their red shirt. Because of these colours, Roma is often called i giallorossi, meaning "the yellow-reds."

The club's popular nickname is "i lupi" ("the wolves"). A wolf has always been part of the club's badge. The current badge shows a female wolf with two baby brothers, Romulus and Remus. This image comes from the myth of Rome's founding. In the story, the twins were saved and cared for by a she-wolf after being thrown into the river. Romulus later founded the city of Rome.

Kit Sponsors

Roma has had different kit manufacturers and sponsors over the years.

Stadiums and Training Ground

Home Stadium: Stadio Olimpico

Stadio Olimpico

Olimpico
Location	Viale dello Stadio Olimpico, Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Owner	Italian National Olympic Committee
Operator	A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio
Capacity	70,643 seated
Construction
Broke ground	1927
Opened	1953
Renovated	1990
Architect	Annibale Vitellozzi
Tenants
A.S. Roma (1953–present), S.S. Lazio (1953–present)

Roma's first stadium was the Motovelodromo Appio. They then moved to Campo Testaccio (1929–1940) and the Stadio Nazionale del PNF (1940–1953). Since 1953, Roma has played at the Stadio Olimpico, which they share with Lazio. The stadium was largely rebuilt for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. During this time, Roma played at Stadio Flaminio.

For many years, Roma planned to build a new stadium called Stadio della Roma. However, this plan was cancelled in 2021. Now, the club is planning a new stadium in Pietralata. Construction is expected to start between 2025 and 2026 and finish by 2028.

Stadiums Used by the Club

• 1927–1928 Motovelodromo Appio
• 1929–1940 Campo Testaccio
• 1940–1953 Stadio Nazionale del PNF
• 1953– Stadio Olimpico (1989–1990 Stadio Flaminio due to renovations on Olimpico)

Trigoria Training Centre

Roma's sports centre, called Trigoria, was bought in 1977 and opened in 1979. Its official name is the Fulvio Bernardini di Trigoria, named after club legend Fulvio Bernardini.

Since 2019, the Trigoria training ground also has a private school for the team's young players. It's called 'Liceo Scientifico Sportivo A.S. Roma'. This centre also hosted the Argentina national team during the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Roma Supporters and Rivalries

Roma fans at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma is one of the most popular football clubs in Italy. Many Roma fans come from the inner city of Rome, especially the Testaccio area.

The club's traditional fan group was Commando Ultrà Curva Sud (CUCS). This group was very famous in European football. Today, the Curva Sud section of the Stadio Olimpico is home to various fan groups.

The most famous club anthem is "Roma (non-si discute, si ama)", which means "Roma is not to be questioned, it is to be loved." It is sung before every match. Another song, "Grazie Roma," is played after home wins.

Major Rivalries

Roma has several strong rivalries. Their biggest rival is Lazio, the other major club in Rome. Their matches are called the Derby della Capitale, and they are known for being very intense. Sometimes, these matches have seen violence, which is very sad. For example, a Lazio fan died in 1979 after being hit by a flare.

Roma also has a rivalry with Napoli, called the Derby del Sole (Derby of the Sun). Other rivals include Juventus, Milan, Atalanta, and Internazionale, especially because these teams often compete for top spots in the league and a place in the UEFA Champions League.

Stadio Olimpico during a Roma match.

Unfortunately, some rivalries have led to serious violence involving groups of fans known as ultras. There have been instances where Roma ultras have attacked supporters of other clubs, both Italian and foreign. These incidents are very serious and have resulted in injuries. Football should be about sport and fair play, not violence.

Players and Management

Current Squad

No. Position Player 2 DF Devyne Rensch 3 DF Angeliño 4 MF Bryan Cristante (3rd captain) 5 DF Evan Ndicka 7 MF Lorenzo Pellegrini (captain) 9 FW Artem Dovbyk 12 DF Saud Abdulhamid 17 MF Manu Koné 18 FW Matías Soulé 19 DF Zeki Çelik 21 FW Paulo Dybala 22 DF Mario Hermoso

No. Position Player 23 DF Gianluca Mancini (vice-captain) 24 DF Marash Kumbulla 34 DF Anass Salah-Eddine 35 Template:Country data FW Tommaso Baldanzi 44 FW Luigi Cherubini 55 MF Ebrima Darboe 61 MF Niccolò Pisilli 63 GK Pietro Boer 66 DF Buba Sangaré 92 FW Stephan El Shaarawy 95 GK Pierluigi Gollini 99 GK Mile Svilar

Primavera Squad (Youth Team)

No. Position Player 60 MF Alessandro Romano 70 GK Giorgio De Marzi 74 DF Filippo Reale

No. Position Player 77 DF Mattia Mannini GK Radosław Żelezny

Other Players Under Contract

No. Position Player 8 MF Edoardo Bove 20 FW Ola Solbakken GK Davide Mastrantonio DF Jan Oliveras DF Matteo Plaia

No. Position Player MF Leonardo Graziani FW Fabrizio Marazzotti FW Kevin Zefi FW Manuel Nardozi FW Ricardo Solbes

Players Out on Loan

No. Position Player MF Riccardo Pagano (at Bari until 30 June 2026) FW Eldor Shomurodov (at İstanbul Başakşehir until 30 June 2026)

No. Position Player FW Tammy Abraham (at Beşiktaş until 30 June 2026)

Women's Team

AS Roma also has a successful women's football team.

Famous Players in Roma's History

Some of Roma's most iconic players include Attilio Ferraris IV, the club’s first captain, and Amedeo Amadei, who is still the youngest Serie A goalscorer. In the 1950s and 1960s, stars like Giacomo Losi and Dino da Costa played for the club. The 1980s saw legends like Agostino Di Bartolomei, Bruno Conti, Roberto Pruzzo, and the Brazilian midfielder Falcão lead Roma to league and European success. Later, fan favorites included Rudi Völler, Aldair, Cafu, and Roman-born heroes Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.

Retired Jersey Numbers

Since 2017, Roma has retired the number 10 jersey to honor Francesco Totti, who played for the club for 25 seasons.

No. Position Player 10 FW Francesco Totti (1993–2017)

Management Staff

Position	Staff
Chairman	Dan Friedkin
Vice Chairman	Ryan Friedkin
Chief Executive Officer	Vacant
Sporting Director	Frederic Massara
Senior Advisor	Claudio Ranieri
Director of Development	Alberto De Rossi
Team Manager	Simone Ricchio
Academy Manager	Bruno Conti
Loan Manager	Federico Balzaretti
Head Coach	Gian Piero Gasperini
Assistant Coach	Vacant
Goalkeeping Coach	Simone Farelli
Technical Coach	Sergio Spalla
Athletic Coach	Manrico Ferrari Carlo Spignoli Massimo Catalano
Match Analyst	Simone Beccaccioli Leonardo Marasciulo
Performance Manager	Mark Sertori
Head of Scouting	Simone Lo Schiavo
Scout	José Fontes Peyo Doménech
Chief Analyst	Michele Salzarulo
Chief Medical Officer	Andrea Causarano
Head of Medicine	Federico Manara
Physiotherapist	Marco Esposito Alessandro Cardini
Sports Scientist	Maurizio Fanchini
Podiatrist	Raniero Russo
Osteopath	Walter Martinelli
Nutrionist	Guido Rillo
Secretary	Marco Robino Rizzet
Referee Caretaker	Vito Scala

Club Leaders: Chairmen History

Main article: List of AS Roma chairmen

Roma has had many chairmen throughout its history. Some were owners, and others were chosen by the owners. Franco Sensi was chairman until 2008, and his daughter, Rosella Sensi, took his place. Here is a list of Roma's chairmen from 1927 until today.

Coaches Through the Years

Roma has had many managers and coaches throughout its history. Here is a list of them from 1927 onwards.

Manager Years William Garbutt 1927–29 Guido Baccani 1929–30 Herbert Burgess 1930–32 Lászlo Barr 1932–33 Lajos Kovács 1933–34 Luigi Barbesino 1934–38 Guido Ara 1938–39 Alfréd Schaffer 1939–42 Géza Kertész 1942–43 Guido Masetti 1943–45 Giovanni Degni 1945–47 Imre Senkey 1947–48 Luigi Brunella 1948–49 Fulvio Bernardini 1949–50 Adolfo Baloncieri 1950 Pietro Serantoni 1950 Guido Masetti 1950–51 Giuseppe Viani 1951–53 Mario Varglien 1953–54 Jesse Carver 1954–56 György Sárosi 1956 Guido Masetti 1956–57 Alec Stock 1957–58 Gunnar Nordahl 1958–59 György Sarosi 1959–60

Manager Years Alfredo Foni 1960–61 Luis Carniglia 1961–63 Naim Kryeziu 1963 Alfredo Foni 1963–64 Luis Miró 1964–65 Juan Carlos Lorenzo 1965–66 Oronzo Pugliese 1966–68 Helenio Herrera 1968–70 Luciano Tessari 1970 Helenio Herrera 1971–72 Tonino Trebiciani 1972–73 Nils Liedholm 1974–77 Gustavo Giagnoni 1978–79 Ferruccio Valcareggi 1979–80 Nils Liedholm 1980–84 Sven-Göran Eriksson 1984–87 Angelo Sormani 1987 Nils Liedholm 1987–89 Luciano Spinosi 1989 Gigi Radice 1989–90 Ottavio Bianchi 1990–92 Vujadin Boškov 1992–93 Carlo Mazzone 1993–96 Carlos Bianchi 1996 Nils Liedholm 1996

Manager Years Ezio Sella 1996 Zdeněk Zeman 1997–99 Fabio Capello 1999–04 Cesare Prandelli 2004 Rudi Völler 2004 Luigi Delneri 2004–05 Bruno Conti 2005 Luciano Spalletti 2005–09 Claudio Ranieri 2009–11 Vincenzo Montella 2011 Luis Enrique 2011–12 Zdeněk Zeman 2012–13 Aurelio Andreazzoli 2013 Rudi Garcia 2013–16 Luciano Spalletti 2016–17 Eusebio Di Francesco 2017–19 Claudio Ranieri 2019 Paulo Fonseca 2019–21 José Mourinho 2021–24 Daniele De Rossi 2024 Ivan Jurić 2024 Claudio Ranieri 2024–25 Gian Piero Gasperini 2025–

Club Achievements and Trophies

Roma fans celebrating the Scudetto in 2001 at the Circus Maximus.

National Titles

• Serie A (Italian League):
  • Winners (3): 1941–42, 1982–83, 2000–01
  • Runners-up: (14): 1930–31, 1935–36, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1985–86, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17
• Coppa Italia (Italian Cup):
  • Winners (9): 1963–64, 1968–69, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1990–91, 2006–07, 2007–08
  • Runners-up: (8): 1936–37, 1940–41, 1992–93, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2012–13
• Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup):
  • Winners (2): 2001, 2007

European Titles

• European Cup:
  • Runners-up (1): 1983–84
• UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League:
  • Runners-up (2): 1990–91, 2022–23
• UEFA Conference League:
  • Winners (1): 2021–22
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup:
  • Winners (1): 1960–61

Other Titles

• Serie B:
  • Winners (1): 1951–52
• Anglo-Italian Cup:
  • Winners (1): 1972

Hall of Fame: Honoring Club Legends

On October 7, 2012, the AS Roma Hall of Fame was created. Players are chosen by votes from the club's official website and a special panel.

Club Records and Statistics

Historical AS Roma positions in Serie A.

Francesco Totti holds the record for most appearances for Roma, playing 786 games in all competitions from 1993 to 2017. He also has the most Serie A appearances with 619 games.

Totti is also Roma's all-time leading goalscorer with 307 goals, including 250 in Serie A. Roberto Pruzzo is second with 138 goals. In 1930–31, Rodolfo Volk scored 29 goals in a single Serie A season, a record later matched by Edin Džeko in 2016–17.

Roma's first official match was a 2–0 win against Livorno in 1927–28. Their biggest victory was 9–0 against Cremonese in 1929–30. Roma's heaviest defeat is 1–7, which has happened five times.

Divisional Movements

Series	Years	Last	Promotions	Relegations
A	92	2024–25	45 times to Europe	1 (1951)
B	1	1951–52	1 (1952)	never
93 years of professional football in Italy since 1929
AS Roma created in National Division in 1927

UEFA Club Ranking

Roma is ranked among the top football clubs in Europe by UEFA.

Rank	Club	Points
8	Dortmund	84.750
9	Barcelona	83.250
10	Roma	80.500
11	Benfica	77.750
12	Atlético	77.500

UEFA Rankings Since 2005

Season	Ranking	Movement	Points	Change
2024–25	10	–4	80.400	–20.600
2023–24	6	+4	101.000	+4.000
2022–23	10	+1	97.000	–3.000
2021–22	11	+2	100.000	+10.000
2020–21	13	+4	90.000	+10.000
2019–20	17	–3	80.000	–1.000
2018–19	14	+7	81.000	+17.000
2017–18	21	+16	64.000	+25.000
2016–17	37	+14	39.000	+11.500
2015–16	51	–5	27.500	–22.000
2014–15	46	+9	49.500	+13.000
2013–14	55	–12	26.500	–14.000
2012–13	43	–17	40.500	–17.000
2011–12	26	–10	57.500	–15.500
2010–11	16	–2	73.000	+2.000
2009–10	14	0	71.000	+5.000
2008–09	14	+2	66.000	+4.000
2007–08	16	0	62.000	+5.000
2006–07	16	+1	57.000	+3.000
2005–06	17	–1	54.000	+1.000

Football Club Elo Rating

Rank	Club	Points
17	Brentford	1820
18	Dortmund	1815
19	Roma	1807
20	Bournemouth	1807
21	Juventus	1803

Images for kids

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  Francesco Totti, Roma's top goalscorer and player with the most appearances.

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  Rudi Garcia coaching Roma in 2014.

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  The 2017–18 Roma team before a UEFA Champions League match.

See also

In Spanish: Associazione Sportiva Roma para niños