Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 17 May 1974 | ||
Place of birth | Negrar, Italy | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Playing position | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1991–1993 | Verona | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1993–1996 | Verona | 77 | (4) |
1996–2006 | Roma | 262 | (14) |
2006–2008 | Levante | 44 | (1) |
2008 | Queens Park Rangers | 7 | (0) |
2009 | Tianjin Teda | 29 | (1) |
2009–2011 | Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo | 10 | (2) |
2015 | La Fiorita | 0 | (0) |
Total | 429 | (22) | |
National team | |||
1994–1996 | Italy U21 | 4 | (0) |
1998–2003 | Italy | 25 | (2) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Damiano Tommasi (born 17 May 1974) is an Italian retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and the current president of the Italian Footballers' Association.
After a full decade representing the colours of Roma – winning the 2001 national championship – he started an abroad career, going on to play for teams in three different countries until his retirement at the age of 37. He amassed Serie A totals of 262 games and 14 goals.
Tommasi gained 25 caps for Italy, and was a member of the team that took part at the 2002 World Cup.
Born in Negrar, Province of Verona, Tommasi started his professional career with local Hellas Verona FC, in Serie B. He made his Serie A debut on 7 September 1996 with A.S. Roma in a 3–1 win over Piacenza Calcio, and would be an instrumental figure in the latter side's 2001 conquest of the scudetto.
During a summer friendly match against Stoke City in 2004, Tommasi suffered a horrible knee injury, caused by Gerry Taggart, and was out of action for a long time. In the summer of 2005 he accepted a one-year contract extension, with youth player wages (€1,500 a month) – a contract which he instigated himself in the name of fairness. He finally returned to play on 30 October 2005, coming on as a second-half substitute for Olivier Dacourt during a league match against Ascoli Calcio 1898 and being hailed with a long standing ovation by the Roma supporters.