Riccardo Scimeca
A versatile and dependable defender who carved out a solid Premier League career, transitioning seamlessly into coaching after hanging up his boots.
Born 1975 (age 51)·English footballer·Birthday: June 13·Generation X
Biography
Born in Leamington Spa, Riccardo Scimeca emerged from the youth ranks at Aston Villa in the early 1990s, a period when the club was a formidable force in English football. His professional journey was defined by intelligent defensive work and adaptability, qualities that saw him serve several clubs including Nottingham Forest, where he was a first-team regular, and later Cardiff City as they climbed the football pyramid. Never a flashy star, Scimeca's value lay in his consistency and reading of the game, earning him over 200 Premier League appearances. After retiring, he channeled his deep understanding of the sport into coaching, working with youth development at former club Aston Villa, helping to shape the next generation of talent with the same steady professionalism that marked his playing days.
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.
Riccardo was born in 1975, 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 Riccardo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Riccardo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
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
1988Became a teenager
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
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
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
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made over 200 appearances in the English Premier League across his career with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and West Bromwich Albion.
- Helped Cardiff City achieve promotion to the Championship in 2003, playing a key role in their defensive line.
- Transitioned to a coaching role at Aston Villa's academy, contributing to youth player development after his retirement.
Did You Know?
He is of Italian descent, which is reflected in his first name.
Scimeca played in the same Aston Villa youth team as future England international Gareth Barry.
He scored his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa in a 1997 match against Sheffield Wednesday.
“My job was to read the game, stay disciplined, and keep the sheet clean.”
