Daniele De Rossi was the fierce, big-hearted midfield general of Roma, a Roman who spent almost his entire career with his hometown club and became one of its most beloved captains. Combative and technically accomplished, he broke up play, drove the team forward and struck the ball ferociously from distance.
A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, he embodied the loyalty and passion that define a one-club footballer, and remains a totemic figure at Roma.