De Rossi Explains Unexpected Roma Picks and Shows Love for Totti

De Rossi's Surprising Roma Selections

Former Roma captain Daniele De Rossi has revealed his unexpected choices for the club's all-time best XI, including some surprising omissions. In an interview with Sky Sport Italia, De Rossi named Gianluca Mancini, Kostas Manolas, and Antonio Rudiger as his top three center-backs, ahead of legendary figures like Aldair and Christian Panucci. He also opted for Emerson Palmieri over Cafu at left-back and Rick Karsdorp over Bruno Conti at right-back.

De Rossi's Love for Totti

Despite his surprising selections, De Rossi made sure to express his admiration for Roma's greatest ever player, Francesco Totti. "Totti is untouchable," he said. "He's the symbol of Roma and a unique player. He's the only one who could never be left out of any Roma XI." De Rossi also praised Totti's leadership qualities, saying, "He was a captain who always led by example and never gave up."

De Rossi's Roma Legacy

De Rossi himself is considered one of Roma's greatest ever players, having spent 18 seasons with the club and captained them to two Coppa Italia titles. He is also Italy's most capped player with 117 appearances. After retiring from playing in 2019, De Rossi joined Roma's coaching staff and is currently the club's Primavera (under-19) coach.

De Rossi's Roma XI:

• Goalkeeper: Alisson
• Center-backs: Gianluca Mancini, Kostas Manolas, Antonio Rudiger
• Full-backs: Emerson Palmieri, Rick Karsdorp
• Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi, Radja Nainggolan, Kevin Strootman
• Forwards: Francesco Totti, Edin Dzeko, Mohamed Salah

De Rossi's selections have sparked debate among Roma fans, with some questioning the omission of certain players. However, De Rossi has defended his choices, saying that he based them on his own experience of playing with and against these players.

De Rossi's love for Roma is undeniable. He has spent his entire career at the club and is now helping to develop the next generation of Roma players. His Roma XI is a reflection of his own experiences and his admiration for the club's greatest players.