Over the generations, countless players who represented AS Roma have also featured at the FIFA World Cup, proudly representing their national teams whilst also enjoying their prime at the Italian club. Some of them even went on to achieve the greatest honour in football, enjoying the utmost success at the prestigious quadrennial international tournament.
Already in the month when the tournament begins, leading bookmakers are competing to provide the best World Cup betting 2022 options, which means checking the latest SBO site reviews will certainly be worthwhile, highlighting where great odds and offers can be found. Now, let’s look back at international Roma stars of the past, and those of the current generation who will be hoping to forge a legacy of their own.
The heroes of yesteryear
In total, fifteen players have won the FIFA World Cup while playing at Roma. The first to lift the trophy with Italy were Atillio Ferraris and Enrique Guaita in 1934; Guido Masetti and Eraldo Monzeglio in 1934 and 1938, along with Aldo Donati and Pietro Serantoni in 1938. The pride of Roma would have to wait quite some time for the next Italian triumph, which included Bruno Conti in the 1982 winning side.
Next to win the World Cup while at Roma were iconic duo Rudi Völler and Thomas Berthold, who formed part of an unstoppable German side, one that demonstrated maximum efficiency at the Italia 1990 World Cup. This was also the final time the national team would play as West Germany, after the fall of the Berlin Wall brought about reunification of the East and West.
Aldair won the World Cup with Brazil at the USA 1994 tournament, then Vincent Candela was part of the victorious French 1998 side, the same year his country also hosted the competition. Having suffered the agony of finishing as a runner-up in 1998, Cafu was finally a World Cup winner in 2002.
Then came the most recent Italian success in 2006, when the World Cup winning side featured Roma players Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta, and legendary Francesco Totti. Taking on France in the decisive game, it was the first all-European World Cup final since Italy had last won the tournament in 1982, and only the second time a final was decided on penalties, with De Rossi successfully converting one of the spot kicks.
Roma players facing disappointment
Given the surprising and traumatic failure of Italy to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, quite a sizeable contingent of Roma players will be watching the tournament from home. Others have faced the heartache of not being selected, forced to miss out because of injury, and there is even one who effectively gave up on representing his country.
Rick Karsdorp earned 3 caps for the Netherlands, the last of which came in 2017, the same year as his move from Feyenoord to AS Roma. Despite becoming a key figure at Roma, the 27-year-old won’t be going to the World Cup. By comparison, Georginio Wijnaldum would otherwise be nailed on for a place in the squad, however, the fractured tibia suffered in August has ruled him out until January.
Following an injury sustained during training this afternoon, Georginio Wijnaldum subsequently underwent medical teasts that confirmed the presence of a fracture to the tibia in his right leg.
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) August 21, 2022
The player will undergo further assessments in the coming days.
FORZA GINI!#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/3i0EU7w052
Brazil are tipped as favourites and they have already announced their final squad list, which doesn’t include Roger Ibañez, having only earned his first cap in September. Unfortunately for Mile Svilar, it seems unlikely he will feature in the Serbia squad list for the World Cup, while Nemanja Matic retired from his national team in 2020.
While there is zero chance of a surprise recall for Chris Smalling, despite some defensive injury concerns for England, one Roma player keeping his fingers crossed will be Tammy Abraham. Nevertheless, competition is fierce amongst the attacking spots in the squad, and although Abraham has 11 caps and 3 goals to his name, he is very much one of the fringe options.
The chosen few of 2022
Save for any last minute injury issues or surprise decisions by national team coaches, there should be at least three Roma players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. As the undisputed number one choice between the posts for Portugal, 34-year-old goalkeeper Rui Patricio is essentially guaranteed his ticket to the tournament with Portugal.
Despite the recent injury scare, Paulo Dybala is expected to make a full recovery and will represent Argentina, already named as one of the key players on the provisional squad list. Having already earned 7 caps for his country, making 6 of those appearances in 2022, 20-year-old Nicola Zalewski will also be heading to his first World Cup, now regarded as the first-choice left-back with Poland.
