Daniele De Rossi
A one-club warrior for Roma whose fierce loyalty and tactical intelligence made him the heart of both his team and Italy's World Cup triumph.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Italian footballer·Birthday: July 24·Millennials
Biography
Daniele De Rossi was Roman football royalty, born in the city's Ostia district and forged in the academy of his beloved A.S. Roma. He wasn't just a player; he was a symbol of the club's grit and passion, a midfield general who combined physical power with a sharp football mind. For 18 seasons, he patrolled the center of the pitch at the Stadio Olimpico, his commitment never wavering despite lucrative offers from abroad. His career pinnacle came in 2006, when he was a vital, if sometimes controversial, component of Italy's World Cup-winning squad, contributing crucial minutes in the knockout stages. After a brief final playing chapter in Argentina, he returned to Roma as a coach, his transition from field leader to tactical mind feeling less like a new job and more like a natural evolution of his lifelong service to the game.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Daniele was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daniele Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Daniele's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team, playing a key role in the knockout stages.
- Spent 18 seasons with A.S. Roma, making over 600 appearances and becoming the club's second-most capped player.
- Won the Coppa Italia twice (2007, 2008) and the Supercoppa Italiana twice (2007, 2022 as a coach) with Roma.
- Was named in the Serie A Team of the Year three times.
Did You Know?
His father, Alberto De Rossi, was a former Roma player who later coached the club's youth team for many years.
He was sent off in the 2006 World Cup group stage for elbowing Brian McBride of the United States.
He is a published author, having written a children's book series called 'The Football Gang.'
He has a tattoo of the Roman numeral 'X' to represent his jersey number and his connection to Rome.
“I have always said that I would rather lose a final with Roma than win one with another team.”
