Why Roma? 12 fans in America explain their obsession

What makes a kid growing up on the other side of the world fall in love with a football club from the Italian capital?

Twelve US-based Giallorossi fans from the Big Soccer AS Roma forum try to explain…

“Roma is not just a club, it is a faith. Watching blurry games on Rai, Sunday mornings at 11am, the magic of Rome flooded the living room through our colour TV.

“The roar of the arena, the 12th man from the tifosi and the celebrations within the stands captivated my young, impressionable mind. Watching the magic on the field, a young Francesco Totti, full of swagger, confidence, and pizazz quickly became my idol. Roma became my identity - offering a young boy direction and inspiration through red and yellow eyes.”
Wayne Girard

“I was 6 years old when I took after my dad in supporting Italy - so when Euro 2000 came around, one player stood out to me and his name was Francesco Totti. He’s the reason I fell in love with Roma and luckily for me, they won the Scudetto during my first season a fan. From living in Lebanon to Canada, I've always felt like the 12th man cheering from my room as my love for Roma has grown each season.”
TOTTI-G.O.A.T

“In 1989 my cousin, who was born and raised in Roma, took me to my first match versus Ataltana. It was in a temporary stadium as Olimpico was being renovated for the World Cup. Before then I was an AC Milan fan but honestly more of a fan of international soccer.

“My cousin convinced the police to allow me to take my video camera into the stadium and being American and it being my first Roma match, they were ok with it.

“When fans saw I had a video camera, they began to ask how I got it in and my cousin and I explained. Roma went on to win 4-1 and every time Roma scored fans around would grab me, hug me, kiss me, jump on me. From then on I was a Roma fan!”
Java65

“My wife and I went to Rome on our honeymoon and went to a game at the Olimpico. Roma were playing Empoli and went down a goal. The fans started going crazy - lighting flares, throwing stuff. We were sure we were about to die and have the shortest non-Kardashian marriage in history but then a goal by Totti and two more by Montella secured a 3-1 victory and life was never the same. FORZA ROMA!”
Shoeless Man

“My first memories following football as a kid were during the 1990 World Cup. I was gifted a Germany shirt that I liked and wore almost everywhere. I started following them and was impressed with a blonde called Rudi Voller, who happened to play for Roma.

“Serie A exposure back then was extremely limited with one 45-minute highlights show every Wednesday at 10pm during school nights. I snuck out my room to watch it whenever I could. Back then everyone around me who was interested in international football was either a Juve or Milan fan but I always liked underdogs and there was something special about Roma - although they were having one of the worst periods in history during the ‘90s.

“I got busy with school and life in general and my interest in Roma never materialised until Capello was appointed and then followed another childhood hero – Batistuta. It coincided with the time I had access to the internet and managed to get consistent updates about football in general and Italian Calcio specifically.

“I was hooked instantly. My interest became fandom and shortly after obsession and addiction. I skipped classes to catch Roma games in a cafe that was half an hour away from where I lived. It didn't help that we won the league in 2001. The high I got following Roma that year was something I never experienced in my life. My life in general has never been the same since.”
GamE_Ove12

“I was born into it by way of family. My peeps came from Rome originally. My family, who are still in Rome, are all fans. My birthday gifts as a youngster consisted of Roma shirts or shorts - maybe some socks. I didn't have much choice other than to be a Roma fan.”
Midfield General

“I inherited my love for Roma from my family. I started my love affair with Roma attending matches with my father and older brothers. I was with my dad and uncle in Monte Mario until I was 13. Then I was in the Curva with my older brothers, cousins and their friends. They were not always the best influence and I witnessed a lot of scuffles with opposing tifosi and also got drunk for the first time by drinking Borghetti.

“But I fell in love immediately with Agostino Di Bartolomei - his class and play-making ability. He is the reason I am Romanista. Everyone would try to emulate his moves on Monday morning and wanted the number 10 jersey. It also took some time to like Totti and accept him - but goals cure suspicion very quickly in Rome. I then left Roma at 16 - only to miss the Scudetto in 1982-83 - to go to school in the US and returned to Italy at 26.

“It was very difficult to follow Roma from the US in the ‘80s as I lived with my uncle and we needed a big satellite to watch Sunday games.

“After graduating from Temple University School of Medicine, I was now back in Italy with a new wife and a job as a civilian with the US DOD. I was still very far from Roma and could only see them occasionally in Palermo - when Palermo were playing in Serie A. Of course, I was working 80 hour weeks as a resident and missed the 2000-01 Scudetto party too!

“As time went on, my ability to travel and watch games increased and began to see 3-4 live games per year and I still try to do the same now as a father of three. One of the three now has the Roma Flu - as my wife describes the illness - and he watches games with me when he can

“PS. I will be very honest - I have tried many times to forget this Roma and calico all together. Even praying for the ‘curse’ to be removed so that I could ignore this team and have some peace. It was not to be and I now realise I was not meant for a peaceful existence.”
ASRomaUSA

“Well, I have no Italian connection - cultural or familial - to the city of Rome or Italy but the thing that drew me towards Roma was the passion with which everyone associated with the team supported the club and the air of theatre and drama - both on and off the field - that almost always accompanies a Roma match.

“Besides the fans themselves, who seemed to support the club with such vigour even when things don't go well, the way guys like Totti, Panucci, Cafu, Batigol, Montella and Delvecchio played also captivated me - the way they played made me think that these guys loved everything about Roma and were big fans of the club themselves.

“And then there's the fact that there is never a dull moment being a Roma supporter. Watching a Roma match is like being on an emotional rollercoaster - a characteristic that is still associated with this club till date. In my opinion, any Roma match is bespoke theatre to me.”
Quantum

“My connection to AS Roma began in the fall of 2007 when I studied abroad in Rome. During those four months, Rome was my home and I felt a real connection to the city. At the time, I was a typical American student who preferred watching baseball and football to soccer. Despite this, I knew I wanted to visit the Stadio Olimpico before I left. So I went to a game in December against Cagliari. Walking into the stadium, I knew that this would be a sporting experience like none other. “The crowd was amazing and Roma won with two goals from Rodrigo Taddei. After that I was hooked. I started watching the team regularly in the 2008-09 season and now soccer is my favorite sport with Roma as my favorite team.”
Roma_NY

“Roma was the first big team I ever saw live. We were on vacation in Rome and my dad had bought me a Del Piero T-shirt, since that was his favorite player, and we were going to the Olimpico in the evening. So there I stood with my dad, in a foreign country, in a huge stadium and then the fans began to sing and by the time the match was over, I was convinced - Roma was my team. So my dad had to buy me a Montella jersey the next day! Forza Giallorossi!”
Giallorossi­­_10

“I started following Roma after my grandfather died. He was a big fan but had never really shared his love with me as I had a huge love for American football. When he passed I found several Roma tickets in his keepsakes. My grandfather was the world to me so I decided to see what Roma was and why it meant so much to him.

"I immediately fell in love with the team. Twenty years later and my love of Roma is still growing and being passed on to my sons. Roma will always be the last gift my grandfather gave to me.”
Chaponga

“When I was nine years old, I was getting into soccer, playing in a local league and watching Serie A with my dad, who is from Italy. On Sunday, June 17, 2001, following the typical routine, I woke up, went downstairs and watched whatever game was on with my dad. This game was different though, which I noticed even as a kid.

“I saw the stadium filled to capacity and I saw everyone waving a red and yellow flag. I actually could not even see the fans in their seats because of the amount of flags waving. Regardless, I continued to watch until finally, with five minutes left to go, I saw these same fans stampeding the pitch, hugging the players, asking for their jerseys, crying and laughing in joy.

"At this point I knew something was up, so I turned and asked my father, ‘Dad, why are all these fans celebrating this way? The game has not even ended yet?’ And my Dad answered, ‘This team is called Roma, they have very passionate fans, they don't win championships very often but when they do, it means everything to them.’

"And at that point, I fell in love and told myself that I would become one of these fans and storm the pitch with them one day. Side note: My father is an Inter fan. So he was not being biased towards Roma.”
Gianluca511