Mancini (Brazilian footballer)
A mercurial Brazilian winger whose dazzling dribbles and powerful strikes lit up Serie A and the Champions League for a decade.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Brazilian footballer·Birthday: August 1·Generation X
Biography
Mancini, full name Alessandro Faiolhe Amantino, was the kind of player who could decide a match with a single moment of improvisation. Emerging from the futsal courts of Brazil, he brought a street footballer's flair to the European game, first making his name at Roma. Cutting in from the right wing onto his powerful left foot, he was a constant threat, capable of both scoring spectacular goals and creating chances with his vision. His peak years in the Italian capital saw him as a central figure in a team that challenged for titles, his technical bravery a hallmark of their play. While his career later took him to giants like Inter Milan and the Brazilian national team, he is best remembered in Rome for his audacity and the sheer joy he brought to the Stadio Olimpico.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mancini was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mancini Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Mancini's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
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
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two Coppa Italia titles and the 2007 Supercoppa Italiana with AS Roma.
- Played a key role in Roma's 2007-08 Serie A campaign, where they finished as runners-up.
- Scored in the UEFA Champions League for Roma, including a memorable goal against Manchester United.
- Earned multiple caps for the Brazilian national team, including appearances in Copa América.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Mancini' was given to him as a youth due to his resemblance to Italian footballer Alessandro Mancini.
He began his career playing futsal in Brazil before transitioning to association football.
He scored a famous 'rabona' goal for Roma against rivals Lazio in the Rome derby.
“Futsal gave me the quick feet and the vision I have today.”
