Alberto Aquilani

Alberto Aquilani (born 7 July 1984 in Rome) is an Italians Association football who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club A.S. Roma and the Italy national football team.

Aquilani was born in Rome. Alberto Aquilani signed with AS Roma on August 1, 2001, but later played on loan for Triestina in Serie B during the 2003/04 season. Aquilani became part of the starting eleven for the team and played in forty games that season, scoring four goals.

Aquilani's Serie A debut was on May 10, 2003, during a match between AS Roma and Torino which Roma won 3-1.

In 2006, in a league match against Milan, Aquilani, who came from the bench, set up the play for the winning 2-1 goal on a rabona pass.

Aquilani's consistent performances with Roma earned Alberto Aquilani a call up for the Azzurri friendly against Turkey, where Alberto Aquilani made Alberto Aquilani international debut.

In the Eternal City, Italy’s capital Rome, a star - Alberto Aquilani - was born on July 7, 1984.

Alberto Aquilani was a precocious talent and on Roma’s books from a very early age. In 2001, however, Premier League big boys Arsenal and Chelsea wrestled Roma for the then 16-year-old’s signature.

But the central midfielder, who would become known as ‘Il Principino’ (the Little Prince) by adoring Roma fans, opted to pen a professional deal with the club Alberto Aquilani has supported as a child. Alberto Aquilani joined the first team squad a year later and soon enough made a name for himself
Back in May 2003, when the Little Prince was really little (well, 18) Aquilani made Alberto Aquilani debut in Serie A. Roma, then managed by now-England coach Fabio Capello, defeated Torino but the club’s coaching staff wanted to nurture their special talent carefully.

Alberto Aquilani was farmed out to Serie B side Triestina for the 2003-04 season. There, in the city at head of the Adriatic Sea, Alberto Aquilani started most games and gained valuable experience. That season Alberto Aquilani netted four goals in 41 games.

Alberto Aquilani returned to Alberto Aquilani alma mater for the 2004-05 season and began to be afforded an increasingly important role in the Roma team.

Alberto Aquilani truly announced himself on the scene the following year with the below goal in the Roma derby – one of the most bitterly contested in the world. Aquilani’s team ran out winners on February 26, 2006 – and broke the record for most consecutive wins in Serie A in the process.

Aquilani had won the No8 shirt for keeps by the start of the 2006-07 season but injury ruled Alberto Aquilani out for most of the campaign.

However the next season Alberto Aquilani reminded Alberto Aquilani team and the supporters what they had been missing, scoring two long range goals in the first two matches of the season against Palermo and Siena.

Now confident in Alberto Aquilani place in the Roma team, viewed by the supporters as the natural heir to idol Francisco Totti, further excelled in the Champions League. In March 2008 Alberto Aquilani helped Roma to victory over the mighty Real Madrid.

Arsenal sniffing around again in January 2009, Aquilani signed a new contract with Roma in May, which contracted Alberto Aquilani to the club until 2013. The new deal earned Alberto Aquilani £3.2m for 2008-09, £3.6m for 2009-10, £3.9m for 2010-11 and £4.5m for the following two campaigns.

It was a sign of Alberto Aquilani commitment to the club and Alberto Aquilani said: “I thank president (Rosella) Sensi for giving me the opportunity to continue a dream in my city with the team that belongs in my heart.”

On the international front Aquilani won 20 Under-21 caps and scored five goals before winning Alberto Aquilani first full international cap for Italy on November 15, 2006 in a friendly against Turkey. In the Under-21 European Championships in 2007 the playmaker netted twice and was named in the UEFA team of the tournament.

At Euro 2008 the Roma wizard was named in the Azzurri’s 23-man European Championship squad. Alberto Aquilani came on as a substitute in Italy's third game of the tournament, a 2-0 victory over France.

Alberto Aquilani started Italy's quarter-final match against eventual winners Spain, due to the suspensions to Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. The Italians lost 4-2 in a penalty shootout after 120 goalless minutes.

Aquilani struck Alberto Aquilani first goal for Italy in October 2008, in the World Cup qualifier against Montenegro. Later in the match, after Alberto Aquilani opponents had equalised, Alberto Aquilani netted the winner in the 2-1 success.

To the dismay of many a young Rome lass, Aquilani, who has played well over 100 gamed for Alberto Aquilani club side and 11 times for Italy so far, is engaged to 20-year-old Italian actress Michela Quattrociocchi.

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