 Agostino Di Bartolomei with Roma in the 1974–75 season | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Agostino Di Bartolomei | ||
| Date of birth | (1955-04-08)8 April 1955 | ||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 30 May 1994(1994-05-30) (aged 39) | ||
| Place of death | San Marco di Castellabate, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder,Sweeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Roma | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1984 | Roma | 237 | (50) |
| 1975–1976 | →Lanerossi (loan) | 33 | (4) |
| 1984–1987 | Milan | 88 | (9) |
| 1987–1988 | Cesena | 25 | (4) |
| 1988–1990 | Salernitana | 52 | (16) |
| Total | 435 | (83) | |
| International career | |||
| 1976–1978 | Italy U-21 | 8 | (7) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Agostino Di Bartolomei (8 April 1955 in Rome – 30 May 1994 inSan Marco diCastellabate) was an Italianfootball player, who played as amidfielder or as adefender, in asweeper role. Famed for his elegance on the ball andplaymaking skills, he is regarded as one ofA.S. Roma's greatest players ever, and one of the greatest Italian players never to have been capped by theItaly national team.[1]
Di Bartolomei was born in a suburb of Rome. He started as a football player in theGarbatella and was recruited in theA.S. Roma junior team at fourteen. He was soon asked to play in the main team, making his debut in the ItalianSerie A during the 1972–73 season.
In 1975, he went on loan toLanerossi Vicenza inSerie B to 'build up his bones' (Bruno Conti another future Roma star, was dispatched toGenoa for the same reason), returning to Rome in 1976 as one of the leading and indispensable players of the team.
AfterNils Liedholm's return as coach of A.S. Roma, Di Bartolomei became the team's undisputed leader, raising to the title ofcaptain and becoming a fan favourite. When he played, it was common to hear the Roma fans sing the chant "Oh, Agostino... Ago, Ago, Ago, Agostino gol!"[2]
Despite his goalscoring prowess, Roma had several superb playmakers, in Di Bartolomei, compatriotBruno Conti, and the BraziliansFalcão andToninho Cerezo. Thus, Liedholm decided to move Di Bartolomei in front of the defence for protection, knocking precise passes up the field, with Falcão and Ceerezo played in the centre, while Conti would assume a more attacking role behind the forwards. During his time at Roma, he won theCoppa Italia three times, and a memorablescudetto in 1983. The following season, marked by the penalty shootout defeat in the1984 European Cup final held in Rome againstLiverpool, was his last with A.S. Roma; although Di Bartolomei was able to net Roma's first spot kick, later misses byBruno Conti andFrancesco Graziani ultimately proved to be decisive.[3]
After leaving Roma, he was transferred toA.C. Milan that was undergoing a rebuilding process after a disastrous period in which they were relegated to the Serie B twice. After three seasons he left Milan and his career fizzled out after playing forCesena andSalernitana. He finally retired in 1990.
A tactically intelligent and versatile team player, Di Bartolomei usually played as acentral ordefensive midfielder in front of the defensive line in adeep-lying playmaker role; he was also capable of playing in a moreadvanced role, or in thecentre of his team'sdefensive line, where he usually functioned as asweeper, a position in which he was frequently deployed during Roma'sScudetto victory in the 1982–83 season, due to his ability to play the ball out from the back or advance into midfield with his head up while in possession of the ball. A quick and hard-workingmidfielder, although he was not gifted with significant pace, he was known for his stamina and long stride, which enabled him to cover the pitch effectively. Famed for his elegance on the ball, technical ability, andplaymaking skills, he was known for his excellent long-passing ability, vision, and ability to read the game, and also possessed an eye for goal, due to his accurate and powerful shot from distance with his right foot; he was also an accuratefree-kick andpenalty taker, and usually struck the ball without taking a run-up. In addition to his playing ability, he was also known for his outstanding tenacity and charismatic leadership as Roma's captain, both on and off the pitch, in spite of his introverted character. He was also regarded as a serious, composed, and correct player, who was known for his fair play, honesty, and discipline as a footballer. Throughout his career, he was given the nicknameDiba.[1][4][5]
Di Bartolomei killed himself inSan Marco di Castellabate, on 30 May 1994, ten years to the day after Roma had lost the European Cup final to Liverpool on penalties.[6]
He is a member of theA.S. Roma Hall of Fame.[7]
AS Roma
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