David di Tommaso was a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 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.

Early life

Di Tommaso was born in Échirolles

Échirolles

Échirolles is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Grenoble, and is adjacent to it on the south. In the 1999 census, Échirolles had a population of 35,383. Its inhabitants are called the Échirollois...

, Isère

Isère

Isère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...

. His father Pascal Di Tommaso

Pascal Di Tommaso

Pascal Di Tommaso is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.-Early and personal life:Born in Grenoble, Di Tomasso is the brother of fellow player Louis Di Tommaso. His sons David and Yohan were also footballers.-External links:*...

 and uncle Louis Di Tommaso both played in Ligue 2

Ligue 2

Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...

 for Grenoble Foot 38

Grenoble Foot 38

Grenoble Foot 38, commonly referred to as simply Grenoble, is a French association football club based in Grenoble, a city situated at the foot of the French Alps. The original incarnation of the club was founded in 1892 and, in 1997, was formed into the club that exists today as a result of a merger...

 in the 1980s. His younger brother Yohan Di Tommaso

Yohan Di Tommaso

Yohan Di Tommaso is a French professional football player. Currently, he plays in the Championnat National for Étoile Fréjus Saint-Raphaël.He played on the professional level in Ligue 2 for FC Rouen....

 is also a professional footballer.

Career

He started his career at French side AS Monaco, where he helped the club win the 2000 league

Ligue 1

Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

 title. He then played in the UEFA Champions League

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...

 and was selected for the French national youth football team. In 2001, di Tommaso transferred to Sedan

CS Sedan Ardennes

Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan , is a French association football club based in Sedan. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Sedan plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located...

, which sold him to Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 side FC Utrecht in 2004. In his first season there, the fans named him the club's player of the year.

His last match was on November 27, a 1–0 victory against Ajax Amsterdam

Ajax Amsterdam

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...

, one of FC Utrecht's main rivals.

Death

Di Tommaso died after a cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...

 in his sleep at the age of 26 in De Meern

De Meern

De Meern is a former town in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the city of Utrecht, and lies about 5 km west of it. In 2001, it became together with Vleuten, a city part of Utrecht called Vleuten-De Meern....

, Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. He is survived by his wife and son.

After the death

On December 1, a meeting of supporters at Stadion Galgenwaard was held, to honour Di Tommaso (DiTo for short). At least 14,000 fans showed up. Among the speakers were chairman Jan Willem van Dop, coach Foeke Booy

Foeke Booy

Foeke Booy is a Dutch former football player and current football manager, who was born in the Frisian town of Leeuwarden. On Tuesday 18 December 2007 Booy was named as the Sparta Rotterdam coach after having guided Al Nasr in Saudi Arabia for only eight league matches during the summer of 2007...

 and captain Jean-Paul de Jong

Jean-Paul de Jong

Jean-Paul de Jong is a Dutch former football player, who played mostly as a right midfielder. He is best known for his lengthy spell with FC Utrecht.-Football career:...

. Besides Di Tommaso's relatives and FC Utrecht's main squad, all of the clubs' youth teams were among the visitors. They were told that number 4, the number worn by Di Tommaso, would be retired from use. Sedan, Di Tommaso's former club, had already announced that number 29, the number Di Tommaso used when he played for the club, would be retired.

Di Tommaso Trophy

Since 2006 FC Utrecht's player of the year award is called the Di Tommaso trophy in honour of David Di Tommaso. The trophy is voted for by the fans.

Winners

| Season
| Winner
| Runner up
| Third
|-
| 2005/2006
| Jean-Paul de Jong

Jean-Paul de Jong

Jean-Paul de Jong is a Dutch former football player, who played mostly as a right midfielder. He is best known for his lengthy spell with FC Utrecht.-Football career:...

| Dave van den Bergh

Dave van den Bergh

Dave van den Bergh is a former Dutch footballer who last played for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer. He is currently an assistant coach for the United States U-20.-Europe:...

| Sander Keller

Sander Keller

Sander Keller is a Dutch footballer. His regular position is as a central defender.-Early career:Born in Amsterdam, Keller began his career at his local club, Zeeburgia, at the age of six. He played regularely for the team before being spotted by AFC Ajax's youth scouts...

|-
| 2006/2007
| Michel Vorm

Michel Vorm

Michel Vorm is a Dutch football goalkeeper, currently playing for Swansea City. He is also renowned for his remarkable penalty saving abilities, earning him the nickname 'The Penalty Killer'.-FC Den Bosch:...

| Francis Dickoh

Francis Dickoh

Francis Dickoh is a Ghanaian footballer currently playing for Aris.- Career :Dickoh started his career in his native Denmark, playing for Farum BK, Boldklubben 1893 and FC Nordsjælland. He moved to the Netherlands in 2006, signing for FC Utrecht...

| Jean-Paul de Jong

Jean-Paul de Jong

Jean-Paul de Jong is a Dutch former football player, who played mostly as a right midfielder. He is best known for his lengthy spell with FC Utrecht.-Football career:...

|-
| 2007/2008
| Gregoor van Dijk

Gregoor van Dijk

Gregoor van Dijk is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, primarily as a midfielder.-Career:...

| Robin Nelisse

Robin Nelisse

Robin Nelisse is a Netherlands Antillean football forward, the former Netherlands Antillean national team.-Biography:Nelisse started his professional career in the 1997-1998 season playing for Feyenoord Rotterdam...

| Cedric van der Gun

Cedric van der Gun

Cedric van der Gun is a Dutch football Winger who is currently a free agent after being released by Swansea City in June 2011.- Career :...

|-
| 2008/2009
| Michael Silberbauer

Michael Silberbauer

Michael Silberbauer is a Danish professional footballer, currently playing for Young Boys Bern in the Swiss Super League. He can play as right wing and central midfielder...

| Michel Vorm

Michel Vorm

Michel Vorm is a Dutch football goalkeeper, currently playing for Swansea City. He is also renowned for his remarkable penalty saving abilities, earning him the nickname 'The Penalty Killer'.-FC Den Bosch:...

| Mihai Nesu

Mihai Nesu

Mihai Mircea Neșu , is a former Romanian football player, who played most of his career for Steaua București. He also played for FC Utrecht. His career came to an end when he suffered a bad neck injury.-Steaua București:He signed his first professional contract in 2001 with Steaua București...

|-
| 2009/2010
| Dries Mertens

Dries Mertens

Dries Mertens is a Belgian footballer currently playing for Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven.- Early career :...

| Mihai Nesu

Mihai Nesu

Mihai Mircea Neșu , is a former Romanian football player, who played most of his career for Steaua București. He also played for FC Utrecht. His career came to an end when he suffered a bad neck injury.-Steaua București:He signed his first professional contract in 2001 with Steaua București...

| Michael Silberbauer

Michael Silberbauer

Michael Silberbauer is a Danish professional footballer, currently playing for Young Boys Bern in the Swiss Super League. He can play as right wing and central midfielder...

|-
| 2010/2011
| Nana Asare
| Kevin Strootman

Kevin Strootman

Kevin Strootman is a Dutch footballer currently playing for Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven. He primarily plays as a central midfielder.-Early career:...

| Mihai Nesu

Mihai Nesu

Mihai Mircea Neșu , is a former Romanian football player, who played most of his career for Steaua București. He also played for FC Utrecht. His career came to an end when he suffered a bad neck injury.-Steaua București:He signed his first professional contract in 2001 with Steaua București...

|}>