ROMA WORLD: Meet Michael Kibira from Kenya

Name: Michael Kibira

Age: 30

City: Nairobi

Country: Kenya

Where did you grow up?

“I grew up in St John, Pumwani, the eastlands of Nairobi.”

Why did you choose Roma?

“Simple. Francesco Totti. I first watched him in the 2002 World Cup with Italy, and have followed him ever since. After that World Cup, I began to play as Roma in FIFA on my PlayStation 2!”

What is your first memory of Roma?

“Roma away to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the 2008 UEFA Champions League. I didn’t get to watch the match, as I was in school, but I saw the highlights later, and wouldn’t stop talking about Roma to anyone who would listen.”

Who was your first Roma hero and why?

“Francesco Totti. A Romanista playing for Roma. That’s a dream for all of us who grew up playing and watching football. Between his scoring, dribbling, and backheels, he made my head explode with the talent he displayed.”

What is your memory of your first game?

“Roma 2-0 Lecce in October of 2010 was the first live match that I watched. Vucinic and Totti were so good! We had a lot of chances, and the match became very tense, almost giving me a heart attack, but we prevailed in the end.”

Do Roma have a passionate fan base in Kenya?

“The fan base in Kenya is growing, and I would love to meet fellow Romanisti in Kenya, and catch a match together! I remember being the only Roma fan screaming in a football hall full of Chelsea fans when Edin Dzeko scored against them in the UEFA Champions League.”

Who is your favourite current player and why?

Kibira: “Alessandro Florenzi, hence my Twitter handle! The fanatic in me remembers that crazy last-minute, end-to-end run, then thumping it past Perin. He can carry the team on his back when he wants to.”

If you could meet anyone connected to Roma - past or present - who would it be and why?

Kibira: “Daniele De Rossi. He is the coolest person I have ever seen on a football pitch. If you’re reading this, Daniele, I love you! Come to Kenya! I’ll buy you a beer and we can rewatch Roma v Barcelona and cry some more!”

What makes you most proud to be a Roma supporter?

Kibira: “The fact that Roma has made an effort to reach out to me as a fan with a Twitter page in Swahili. I have never felt so close to the team, and it is one of the most beautiful things in the world.”

Follow @Michael Kibira aka Half Man, Half Florenzi on Twitter.