Shirt Number Stories: No. 17

In our latest series, we take a look back at some of the notable players to have worn a specific shirt number in the club's history...

You probably know a fair bit about Cengiz Under, the current owner of the No. 17 shirt - but what about some of the other players to have worn it down the years?

It's now 25 years since the introduction of assigned squad numbers in Serie A, although it's probably still fair to say that the No. 17 hasn't yet garnered a long history of wearers for the Giallorossi.

Perhaps that might be something to do with the number's status in Italy - where Friday the 17th is considered as unlucky as the 13th might be elsewhere.

Having said that, it's nevertheless true that a few genuine club icons have worn the number at least during some part of their Roma careers - even if one of them in particular is much more associated with another number...

From the current owner onwards, here are some of the players to have donned the 17!

17

CENGIZ UNDER

2017 - Present
Other numbers worn: n/a
Total apps: 85
Total goals: 17

The current holder of the No. 17 shirt - Cengiz has worn it proudly ever since joining the club from Istanbul Basaksehir back in the summer of 2017.

It's clearly the Turkish winger's preferred squad option - he wore it both at Basaksehir and previous club Altinordu, while it is the most common number he has donned on international duty too (although more recently he has often taken No. 7).

After a quiet start to life in the capital, a memorable first goal away to Hellas Verona sparked a fantastic run of form in the early part of 2018 - and 'Cengo' has gone on to deliver more than his fair share of spectacular goals as he comes towards the end of his third season in the club's colours.

JOHN ARNE RIISE

2008 - 2011
Other numbers worn: n/a
Total apps: 136
Total goals: 11

A left-back fixture for the side around the start of the decade, Riise's attacking threat was always appreciated by the Giallorossi fans - perhaps most notably with his famous late winner in Turin against Juventus.

Throughout his time in the Italian capital the Norway international opted for No. 17, despite never wearing it on another stop during his professional career - a career that took him to Liverpool and Monaco, among many others.

DAMIANO TOMMASI

1996 - 2006
Other numbers worn: 18
Total apps: 351
Total goals: 21

Indisputably the Roma player most synonymous with the No. 17, Tommasi stuck to the number even as he became an increasingly vital member of the side, including during the Scudetto-campaign of 2000-01.

An often unheralded member of the team, whose contribution was nevertheless never underestimated by those who watched closely, Tommasi's all-action work in midfield allowed his teammates to thrive further up the field.

After a first season wearing the No. 18, Tommasi switched to the No. 17 shirt ahead of the 1997-98 campaign - wearing it for the rest of his 10-year stay with the club.

"I chose the number because no one else wanted it," Tommasi once said - although he clearly grew very attached to it himself, given it now features in his social media handles.

FRANCESCO TOTTI

1993 - 2017
Other numbers worn: 20, 10
Total apps: 786
Total goals: 307

Of course, everyone associates Totti with the No. 10 shirt that he wore for the vast majority of his career - claiming it ahead of the 1997-98 season and then making it synonymous with his quality and attacking grace.

But when he emerged it was owned by others - most notably Giuseppe Giannini - and so the young Totti had to wait his turn. As squad numbers became obligatory he opted for No. 20 and then No. 15, before settling on No. 17 for the 1996-97 season.

In terms of statistics, it was his most successful season to that point - scoring more league goals (five) then he had before, despite playing two fewer games than he did the previous campaign.

The following year, however, with the No. 10 he would score 12 goals in 31 games (16 in 42 total appearances) - announcing to the world the sort of player he was just about to become.

MASSIMILIANO CAPPIOLI

1987-88 - 1993-96
Other numbers worn: 8, 19, 11
Total apps: 110
Total goals: 19

Rome-born and raised, the academy graduate had to earn his spurs away from the club (in this case, with a five-year stint at Cagliari) before being granted the chance to return to his boyhood side.

An attacking midfielder of no little grace, Cappioli enjoyed his most sustained spell with the Giallorossi between 1994 and 1996, being an almost ever-present across those two seasons, wearing the No. 8 and then the No. 17 shirts during that period.

Beloved for his clear attachment to the club, perhaps his club highlight came when he got on the scoresheet in the 3-0 derby win over Lazio in 1994.

OTHER NOTABLE WEARERS

Perhaps any Roma fan capable of naming every wearer of the No. 17 shirt since the mid-1990s should be considered a shoe-in for any pub quiz team you might be building - given the somewhat obscure nature of some of them.

Undoubtedly the most famous name not listed about is centre-back Medhi Benatia, who excelled during the 2013-14 season before leaving the club following summer.

Prior to the Moroccan it was Nicolas Lopez who took the number (who some fans may remember for an injury-time equaliser on his debut, against Catania), joining both Edgar Alvarez and Francesco Tavano as one-season wonders with that particular number on their back.

On Roma Women, meanwhile, the number has been taken in both campaigns so far - with versatile wide player Camilla Labate taking it for 2018-19, and Denmark international forward Amalie Thestrup opting for that number for the current season.