From Chivu to Kluivert: Nine players to represent Roma and Ajax

The two sides have only met twice on the pitch - in official games, at least. But, off it, Roma and Ajax share a few familiar faces in common.

Those two competitive meetings came in the 2002-03 Champions League group stage - although, for many fans at least, a 1997 friendly remains the most important game the two clubs have ever played out.

That February meeting, part of a triangular invitational tournament with Borussia Moenchengladbach, became the day where a young Francesco Totti unequivocally convinced the Roma hierarchy to keep him on - outplaying the highly-touted Jari Litmanen to effectively end any tentative attempts from the Giallorossi to sign the Finn to replace the homegrown talent.

Neither of those two players would end up representing the opposite club but, four years later, when the two sides met in another friendly in Berlin, there was at least one player involved who would go on to represent both sides.

That man was Christian Chivu, on the losing side that day in a 2-1 win for the Giallorossi. And it is with him that this list begins...

CRISTIAN CHIVU

A 2003 summer signing for the Giallorossi, Chivu's performances for Romania against Italy in Euro 2000 (and then in qualifying for the 2002 World Cup) first alerted many to the potential of the versatile defender. At 18 million euros, however, he was far from a cheap signing.

Coach Fabio Capello was eager to have him, however, for both his leadership and his personality on the pitch - with Chivu's signature eventually secured in preference to that of Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Lucio.

He would go on to represent the club for four seasons.

MIDO

At differing moments, the Egyptian was both the back-up to Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Ajax and the support man to Didier Drogba at Marseille. When he joined Roma in the summer of 2004 he had been on loan at the French side, although Ajax were still his parent club.

Mido was signed in a summer where rumours were rife of a deal for other big name strikers: Alberto Gilardino, Julio Cruz and Luis Fabiano among them. He chose the 99 shirt but he wouldn't exactly prove twice as good as any No. 9 - failing to score even once for the club.

SAMUEL KUFFOUR

Kuffour should have been one of the gems of a difficult transfer market in 2005, as the defender - a key man in Bayern Munich's recent Champions League victory - joined the club as a 29-year-old free transfer.

He started well, too, stiffening up the back line and also helping out in the opposition box too (scoring a goal in Tromso). But his call-up for the Africa Cup of Nations, followed by a goal conceded against Juventus as he lost a tussle with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, seemed to hurt his form - and soon the younger Philippe Mexes exploded into life alongside Chivu.

As a result Kuffour only lasted a season at the club, before being loaned out to Livorno and then, in January 2008, Ajax. He is the only player to have made the trip directly between the two clubs in that direction.

BOGDAN LOBONT

When Lobont joined Roma in the summer of 2009, he had already come up against the club in the colours of two different sides.

In 2003, he was in the Ajax goal as the two teams faced each other in the Champions League. During the 2005-06 season, meanwhile, he visited the side as a Fiorentina player - impressing in particular in one duel at the Franchi between two Champions League chasing sides.

In the end he joined the club from Steaua Bucharest, signed to offer competition as a back-up goalkeeper within the squad. He didn't play much, but his influence in the dressing room was always considered positive - for the nine years he eventually stayed.

MARTEEN STEKELENBURG

One of the first players signed by the club's new American ownership under Thomas Di Benedetto, Stekelenburg also became the first Dutch player in the club's history.

After a few years with Doni and then one with Julio Sergio in goal, the club was searching for a new No. 1 to hold things down - and they settled on the Netherlands No. 1, who had arguably been the best goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup.

Stekelenburg also faced Roma during the 2002-03 Champions League, winning the game he played in 2-1. When he came to the capital and met his old friend Lobont he chose the No. 24 shirt, in order to leave the No. 1 to the Romanian.

Bad luck hurt Stekelenburg, who lasted just two seasons in Rome.

BOJAN KRKIC

Bojan Krkic arrived from Barcelona with high hopes and high expectations, but ultimately spent only one season in Rome - scoring seven goals in Serie A.

That wasn't enough for the club to decide to sign him on a permanent basis, as he instead joined AC Milan the following season on loan and, a year on from that, moved on to Ajax.

URBY EMANUELSON

Another one to come through the Ajax system and prove to be a valuable player for the Dutch club between 2004 and 2011, his adventures further afield were less impressive.

He joined Roma in the summer of 2014, but made just two appearances in six months before moving on.

THOMAS VERMAELEN

A loan signing from Barcelona in the summer of 2016, Vermaelen was pencilled in to partner Kostas Manolas in the heart of defence - although injuries and the dominant form of Federico Fazio would ultimately see the latter man claim that role.

A product of the Ajax academy system, Vermaelen also enjoyed a successful spell at Arsenal before making the switch to Barcelona - but form and fitness proved an issue for him almost ever since.

JUSTIN KLUIVERT

The son of striker Patrick, Justin Kluivert joined the club in 2019 from Ajax.

A winger with an eye for goal, he managed nine of them over two seasons before joining RB Leipzig on loan for the current campaign.