The announcement came after the club sacked former coach
Jose Mourinho on Tuesday.
Roma, in a statement on its website said after an 18-year
playing career with the club, De Rossi would return home as head coach, with
his first game being the club’s upcoming Serie A match against Verona on
Saturday evening at the Stadio Olimpico.
“We are happy to be able to hand over the managerial role of
AS Roma to Daniele De Rossi, as we feel that the leadership and ambition that
have always defined him can prove decisive in achieving the team’s objectives
until the end of the season,” said Dan and Ryan Friedkin.
“We were aware of Daniele’s unbreakable bond with the club,
but his enthusiasm for accepting the position for the next few months convinced
us even more of his ability to be a guide for the players and a proud
representative of the club’s values. Welcome home, Daniele,” Friedkin said.
De Rossi returns to Roma after having previously played for
the club.
Born in Rome and a graduate of the club’s academy, Daniele
joined AS Roma as a teenager in 2000, making his first-team debut in 2001
before quickly establishing himself as one of the world’s best midfielders.
“I would like to thank the Friedkin family for entrusting me
with the responsibility of Roma’s head coach role. From my side, I know no
other way but dedication, daily sacrifices, and giving everything I have in
order to face the challenges that await us from now until the end of the
season,” said De Rossi.
“The excitement of being able to sit on our bench is
indescribable. Everyone knows what Roma means to me. However, the work that
awaits us all has already taken precedence.
“We have no time or choice but to be competitive, fight for
our goals, and try to achieve them, which are the only priorities my staff and
I have set for ourselves,” he added.
De Rossi made 616 appearances and scored 63 goals for the
Giallorossi in all competitions, ranking second in the club’s all-time
appearance record.
At club level, he won the Coppa Italia twice, in 2007 and
2008, along with one Supercoppa in 2007.
In addition to his record-breaking accomplishments with
Roma, Rossi has also had a successful international career.
He played 117 games in the Italian shirt, and has
represented the Azzurri in eight major international competitions. In 2006, he
won the World Cup with his Roma teammates, Francesco Totti and Simone Perrotta.
After retiring from football, De Rossi joined the Italian
national team’s coaching staff, where he lifted the European Championship
trophy on July 11th, 2021, at Wembley Stadium, before taking over as head coach
of SPAL last season.