History of AS Roma
Founded in 1927 via merger to rival Northern Italian clubs.
Associazione Sportiva Roma is an Italian football club founded on 7 June 1927 by Italo Foschi, a Roman representative of the National Fascist Party, through the merger of three older Roman clubs: Roman, Alba-Audace, and Fortitudo. The merger aimed to create a strong club in Rome to rival the dominant Northern Italian teams. The club's early home was the Moto Velodromo Appio stadium before moving to the all-wooden Campo Testaccio in November 1929.
- Founded
- 7 June 1927
- Founder
- Italo Foschi
- First stadium
- Moto Velodromo Appio
- First title
- 1941–42 Serie A
- Notable early captain
- Attilio Ferraris IV
- Record appearance holder
- Giacomo Losi (450 appearances, set in 1969)
Lore & Background
Roma's early success came in 1930–31 when they finished as runners-up to Juventus, with key players including Attilio Ferraris IV, Guido Masetti, Fulvio Bernardini, and Rodolfo Volk. After a slump, they rebuilt and won their first scudetto in 1941–42 under manager Alfréd Schäffer, with Amedeo Amadei scoring 18 goals. During World War II, they played at the Stadio del Partito Nazionale Fascista. Post-war, Roma struggled and were relegated to Serie B in 1950–51, but achieved immediate promotion under Giuseppe Viani.
Reader's Guide
Roma's significance lies in being the capital's primary football club, created to challenge Northern dominance. Their first scudetto in 1941–42 marked a historic achievement during wartime. The club later won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1960–61, their first international honor, and multiple Coppa Italia titles. The 1980s saw a resurgence under manager Nils Liedholm, with a second scudetto in 1982–83 and a European Cup final appearance in 1984. In the new millennium, Roma won their third Serie A title in 2000–01, led by Francesco Totti. Financial difficulties emerged in the 2000s, but the club remained a top-tier Italian side, finishing as runners-up several times in Serie A and Coppa Italia.
Did You Know?
- The club's first scudetto was won in 1941–42, with Amedeo Amadei scoring 18 goals.
- Giacomo Losi set a Roma appearance record of 450 matches in 1969, which stood for 38 years.
Elsewhere in AS Roma
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