Rodrigo Taddei

Rodrigo Ferrante Taddei (born 6 March 1980 in São Paulo) is an Italo-Brazilian football (soccer) who currently plays for A.S. Roma of Italy Serie A. He plays as a midfielder.

He started his career in Brazil with Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, then moving to Italy in September 2002 and signing for A.C. Siena, a Serie B team at the time. He was one of their stars and helped the Tuscan team earn promotion to Serie A.

However, in late 2003, Taddei was fighting for his life, after he was hurt in a serious car accident. His younger brother, Leonardo, died in the accident and his team mate André Luciano da Silva was also hurt. After recovering from the accident, Taddei went back to play for Siena, helping his team to avoid relegation.

After another season with Siena, characterized by several quarrels with the presidency because of his refusal to a contract extension, Taddei left the team in a free transfer and joined AS Roma in 2005, despite being followed by several clubs, including Juventus, Lazio and Inter plus a number of English Premier League. Joining Roma has now offered him the chance to perform on the European stage, he has contributed vastly to their good performances, supplying Roma with skill, pace, and technique on the flanks. Taddei scored the important opening goal in Roma's 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the first leg of the 2007 Champions League quarter finals. Unfortunately, Taddei was injured in the warm up to the second leg of the game, an absence Roma clearly struggled with, suffering a 7-1 reverse at Manchester's Old Trafford (football ground).

Taddei, who also owns Italian citizenship, has never been capped by the Brazil national football team. This could allow him to play for Italy national football team, following the steps of Mauro Camoranesi.

Rodrigo Taddei has become well-known for his footballing piece of magic performed in a Champions League group stage match against Olympiakos on 18th October 2006 which he later called "The Aurelio" after AS Roma assistant manager, Aurelio Andreazzoli. The move, which involves putting one's weight on the left foot, while guiding the football with the right leg around the back of the left leg and forward again, was not known by a specific name prior to that.