David Di Tommaso facts for kids
Di Tommaso with Utrecht in 2005
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | David di Elias Alemu Tommaso | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 6 October 1979 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Échirolles, France | |||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 29 November 2005 (aged 26) | |||||||||||||||
| Place of death | De Meern, Netherlands | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Échirolles | |||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | SC Grenoble | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1995–2001 | Monaco | 14 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Sedan | 77 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Utrecht | 44 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 135 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | France U17 | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | France U21 | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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David di Elias Alemu Tommaso (born 6 October 1979 – died 29 November 2005) was a French professional footballer. He played as a central defender, which means he was a player who helped protect his team's goal.
Contents
Early Life and Family
David Di Tommaso was born in Échirolles, France. Football was a big part of his family. His father, Pascal Di Tommaso, and his uncle, Louis Di Tommaso, both played football professionally. They played in Ligue 2 for Grenoble Foot 38 in the 1980s. David's younger brother, Yohan Di Tommaso, also became a professional footballer.
Football Career
David Di Tommaso played for several football clubs during his career. He was known for his strong defending skills.
Playing for Monaco
David joined the main team of Monaco in the 1998–99 season. He played his first professional game on 16 January 1999 against Lens. He came into the game as a substitute. After this first match, he earned a regular spot in the starting lineup. He played alongside Julien Rodriguez in several important games. David was part of the Monaco team that won the Ligue 1 title in 2000. This is the top football league in France. He also played in the UEFA Champions League, which is a major European club competition. He was also chosen to play for the French national youth football team.
Time at Sedan
In 2001, David Di Tommaso moved to Sedan. He played 24 games for them in the 2001–02 season. In 2002, he was called up to play for the French national under-21 team. He helped his team reach the final of the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The 2002–03 season started well for David. He scored his first career goal on 6 October 2002 against Bordeaux. This goal helped his team get a 2–2 draw. However, Sedan faced a tough season and ended up being moved down to a lower league, Ligue 2. Even in Ligue 2, David remained a key player. He played in 26 games that season. He scored his second goal against Amiens on 27 March 2004. After helping Sedan finish fifth in the league, David left the club.
Joining Utrecht
In 2004, David Di Tommaso moved to the Netherlands to play for FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie. He quickly became a fan favorite. Supporters even named him their Player of the Year in his first season. He played in 31 games during the 2004–05 season. David continued to be a regular starter in the 2005–06 season. His last game was on 27 November 2005. Utrecht won that match 1–0 against Ajax, one of their biggest rivals.
His Passing
On 29 November 2005, David Di Tommaso sadly passed away in his sleep. He was at his home in De Meern, Netherlands. An autopsy later showed that his death was caused by a cardiac arrest, which is a sudden heart problem. He was survived by his wife and young son.
Lasting Legacy
David Di Tommaso was deeply missed by his fans and teammates. His memory lives on in many ways.
On 1 December 2005, a large gathering was held at Stadion Galgenwaard, Utrecht's home stadium. Over 14,000 fans came to honor David, who was often called "DiTo." The club's chairman, coach, and captain spoke about him. David's family and all of FC Utrecht's youth teams were there. To remember him, FC Utrecht decided to retire his jersey number, 4. This means no other player will wear that number for the club. His former club, Sedan, also retired his number, 29.
In the first league game after his passing, on 11 December, fans remembered David again. Most people in the stadium wore black clothes. The game began with a moment of silence to show respect.
On 23 March 2007, a special match called the David di Tommaso Memorial Match was played. FC Utrecht played against David's old club, AS Monaco. All the money raised from the match went to David's family. Monaco players also helped by collecting signed jerseys from famous footballers like Fabien Barthez and Alessandro Del Piero. These jerseys were then sold to raise more money.
On 12 May 2013, a special statue of David was placed at the Bunnikside stand at Stadion Galgenwaard. This was a way to make sure his memory would always be a part of the stadium.
Since 2006, FC Utrecht's award for the best player of the year is called the Di Tommaso Trophy. Fans vote for their favorite player to receive this award, keeping David's spirit alive at the club.
Honours and Achievements
David Di Tommaso achieved several important titles during his career.
Club Honours
Monaco
- Ligue 1: 1999–2000 (French League Champions)
- Trophée des Champions: 2000 (French Super Cup)
Utrecht
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2004 (Dutch Super Cup)
