Daniele De Rossi

Daniele De Rossi, Italian orders of merit, (July 24, 1983) is an Italy FIFA World Cup-winning Football (soccer), who plays for AS Roma. Among his titles also the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, and the bronze medal gained at Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics, all with the Italy national football team, are the most prestigious.

Career

De Rossi, born in Rome and a product of the A.S. Roma youth system (where his father, former Roma player Alberto De Rossi, is a coach), made his first-team debut in October 2001 against Belgium side RSC Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League. He made his Serie A debut on 3 May 2003; his first Serie A start, and his first goal, came one week later against Torino Calcio.

After graduating from the A.S. Roma youth set-up, De Rossi has gradually become a key midfield player for the club.
Strong, with good vision on the ball and a combative mentality, De Rossi won the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and in the same year collected a bronze medal with the Italy national football team at the Athens Olympics.A few weeks after returning from Greece, De Rossi earned his first cap in the senior squad, scoring on his debut in the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying game against Norway national football team (2-1).

De Rossi was praised by referee Mauro Bergonzi after he had scored a goal with his hand in a match against Messina. Bergonzi allowed the goal until De Rossi showed a great piece of fair play when admitting to the referee that he had pushed the ball in with his hand, the goal was disallowed and Roma went on to win 2-1.

De Rossi was named to the Italian national team in 2006. During a 2006 FIFA World Cup group play match against the United States men's national soccer team, De Rossi received a straight Misconduct (football) after he elbowed Brian McBride in the face. McBride left the pitch bloodied, but returned after treatment and later required three stitches. De Rossi later apologized to McBride (who subsequently praised De Rossi as "classy" for approaching him after the match). De Rossi was banned for four matches and fined Swiss franc 10,000.

De Rossi returned for Italy in the final, coming on as a substitute on the 61st minute for Roma team mate Francesco Totti. In the penalty shoot-out at the end of the match (which finished 1-1) De Rossi scored Italy's third penalty to help his country win their fourth FIFA World Cup.

De Rossi has played in all of Italy's Euro 2008 qualifying games thus far, scoring a goal against Georgia national football team, he even has been given the honour of wearing the number 10 shirt since team mate Francesco Totti has not returned to the Azzurri since the World Cup final.

International

De Rossi has capped 28 times for the Italian National Team and was a member of the 2006 World Cup Champion squad.

Personal

- Married Tamara Pisnoli, the mother of his daughter and ex-ballerina of Mediaset, Sarabanda on May 18, 2006.

Honours

AS Roma

- Serie A:
- - Runner-up: Serie A 2003-04, Serie A 2005-06, Serie A 2006-07
- Coppa Italia:
- - Winner: Coppa Italia 2006-07
- - Runner-up: Coppa Italia 2004-05, Coppa Italia 2005-06
- Italian Super Cup:
- - Winner: 2007
- - Runner-up: 2006

National Team

- FIFA World Cup:
- - Winner: 2006 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Under-21 European Championship:
- - Winner: 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
- Football at the Summer Olympics:
- - Bronze medal: Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Personal

- Serie A Young Footballer of the Year:
- - 2006

Trivia

- Is the son of the Alberto De Rossi, former player for Roma and coach of Primavera della Roma.
- Played as a striker for A.S. Ostiamare Lido Calcio before joining the youth system of Roma.
- Debuted for Roma wearing number 27, which he wore for two seasons. After that, he switched over to the number 4, which he was also wearing during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. His current number is 16.
- Has a daughter, Gaia, born on June 16, 2005, which is the reason he switched over to wearing number 16 during the 2005–2006 season.
- Daniele has been likened to the legendary Roy Keane, dubbed the 'Italian Keane', as they share combative qualities in the centre of the field. It was speculated that Man Utd might table a 17 million pound offer for De Rossi to be Keane's replacement.