Agostino Di Bartolomei
Encyclopedia
Agostino Di Bartolomei (April 8, 1955, Rome
—May 30, 1994, San Marco di Castellabate
) was an Italian
football
player, who played as a midfielder. Famed for his elegant playmaking skills, he is regarded as one of A.S. Roma
's greatest players ever, and one of the greatest players never to have been capped by the Italian national team
.
. He started as a football player in the Garbatella
and was recruited in the A.S. Roma
junior team at fourteen. He was soon asked to play in the main team, making his debut in the Italian Serie A
during the 1972–73 season.
In 1975 he went on loan to Lanerossi Vicenza
in Serie B
to 'build up his bones' (Bruno Conti
another future Roma star, was dispatched to Genoa
for the same reason), returning to Rome in 1976 as one of the leading and indispensable players of the team.
After Nils Liedholm
's return as coach of A.S. Roma, Di Bartolomei became the team's undisputed leader, raising to the title of captain and becoming a fan favourite. When he played, it was common to hear the Roma fans sing Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Agostino, Ago, Ago, Ago, Agostino gol!!!
Despite his goalscoring prowess, Roma had two superb playmakers, in Di Bartolomei and the Brazil
ian Falcão
. Thus, Liedholm decided to move Di Bartolomei in front of the defence for protection, knocking precise passes up the field, while Falcão would assume a more attacking role. During his time at Roma, he won the Coppa Italia
three times, and a memorable scudetto in 1983. The following season, marked by the penalty shootout defeat in the final (held in Rome) of the European Cup
against Liverpool F.C.
, was to be his last season with A.S. Roma.
After leaving Roma, he was transferred to A.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 for Cesena
and Salernitana
. He finally hung up his boots in 1990.
He then suffered from clinical depression
in his later years, and committed suicide by shooting himself on May 30, 1994, ten years to the day after Roma had lost the European Cup final to Liverpool on penalties.
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
—May 30, 1994, San Marco di Castellabate
Castellabate
Castellabate is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy.-History:The are was inhabited since Upper Palaeolithic times...
) was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, who played as a midfielder. Famed for his elegant playmaking skills, he is regarded as one of A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
's greatest players ever, and one of the greatest players never to have been capped by the Italian national team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
Biography
Di Bartolomei was born in a suburb of RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He started as a football player in the Garbatella
Garbatella
Garbatella is an historical urban area that belongs to the Municipio XI of the commune of Rome, in the Ostiense district. Its population is nearly 45000 inhabitants....
and was recruited in the A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
junior team at fourteen. He was soon asked to play in the main team, making his debut in the Italian Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
during the 1972–73 season.
In 1975 he went on loan to Lanerossi Vicenza
Vicenza Calcio
Vicenza Calcio is an Italian football club based in Vicenza, Veneto. The club was formed in 1902 and currently plays in Italy's Serie B, having spent the entire 1960s and a large part of the 1990s in Serie A...
in Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
to 'build up his bones' (Bruno Conti
Bruno Conti
Bruno Conti is an Italian ex-football player and former coach of the Serie A club Roma from 14 March 2005 to 30 June 2005. His two sons Daniele and Andrea are both professional footballers...
another future Roma star, was dispatched to Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
for the same reason), returning to Rome in 1976 as one of the leading and indispensable players of the team.
After Nils Liedholm
Nils Liedholm
Nils Liedholm was a Swedish football midfielder and coach. Il Barone , as he is affectionately known in Italy, was renowned for being part of Sweden's "Gre-No-Li" trio of strikers along with Gunnar Gren and Gunnar Nordahl at A.C. Milan and the Swedish national team...
's return as coach of A.S. Roma, Di Bartolomei became the team's undisputed leader, raising to the title of captain and becoming a fan favourite. When he played, it was common to hear the Roma fans sing Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Agostino, Ago, Ago, Ago, Agostino gol!!!
Despite his goalscoring prowess, Roma had two superb playmakers, in Di Bartolomei and the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Falcão
Falcao
Falcao or Falcão may refer to* Élson Falcão da Silva , Brazilian football player* Radamel Falcao, Colombian footballer* Alessandro Rosa Vieira , nicknamed Falcão, Brazilian futsal and football player...
. Thus, Liedholm decided to move Di Bartolomei in front of the defence for protection, knocking precise passes up the field, while Falcão would assume a more attacking role. During his time at Roma, he won the Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
three times, and a memorable scudetto in 1983. The following season, marked by the penalty shootout defeat in the final (held in Rome) of the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
against Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, was to be his last season with A.S. Roma.
After leaving Roma, he was transferred to A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
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 for Cesena
A.C. Cesena
Associazione Calcio Cesena is an Italian football club based in Cesena, Romagna. The club was formed in 1940 and won the first promotion to Serie A in 1973. Since then, the club have been in the Italian Premier League for a total of in 11 seasons, reaching the best achievement in 1976 with the 6th...
and Salernitana
Salernitana Calcio 1919
Salerno Calcio, or simply Salerno is an Italian association football club from Salerno, Campania.The club is not the legitimate heir of the former Salernitana Calcio 1919, but there is however a sports continuity between the two companies thanks to Article 52 NOIF of FIGC, and the fact that they...
. He finally hung up his boots in 1990.
He then suffered from clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
in his later years, and committed suicide by shooting himself on May 30, 1994, ten years to the day after Roma had lost the European Cup final to Liverpool on penalties.
Honours
- A.S. RomaA.S. RomaAssociazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
- Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
: 1982–83 - Coppa ItaliaCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
: 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84 - European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Runner-up: 1983–19841984 European Cup FinalThe 1984 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Roma of Italy on 30 May 1984 at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. It was the final match of the 1983–84 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool were appearing in...
- Serie A