Former striker Orlando on what Roma meant to him

There are special dates in a footballer’s career that stand the test of time.

It is certainly 13 November for 82-year-old Alberto Orlando, who scored 43 times for Roma in 177 appearances between 1957 and 1964.

On that very date in 1960, he was part of the team’s incredible 4-0 away win over Lazio, which saw the Giallorossi climb to the top of the table.

Despite a groin strain and the fact that Roma were already enjoying an unassailable 3-0 lead, Orlando pounced on a loose ball in the area to score with his good foot and put the cherry on the cake.

On the same day three years later, the forward bagged a hat-trick in Roma’s 5-0 thrashing of Napoli in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia en route to the club’s first taste of cup glory.

What did Roma mean to you?

“I’m a son of Roma. The club taught me everything, but I also think I was lucky because I was part of a group with many players from Rome, such as Giancarlo De Sisti, Lamberto Leonardi, Giampaolo Menichelli and Francesco Scaratti.

"We had that togetherness and felt strong. Being from Rome is an incredible value in itself and we all knew exactly what it meant to win the derby.”

What does the derby represent?

“The derby means everything.”

What sort of player were you?

“At Roma, I adapted to playing out of position. I was a centre-forward, but after the arrival of Pedro Manfredini and considering the decline of Alcides Ghiggia, I was forced to move out to the right wing. I obeyed my coaches’ wishes.

"Proof of the fact that I was a striker was my tally of 17 goals in 32 games for Fiorentina under Giuseppe Chiappella. I was named joint Capocannoniere alongside Sandro Mazzola during that season (1964-65, the first after leaving Roma). If you haven’t played football, you can’t understand the problems that a footballer may face when he’s played out of position.”

Football was different back then as well.

“Certainly. Now there’s talk of strikers, attacking midfielders and playing in the hole: they all play ten metres away from one another. It wasn’t like that back then. The distance between the two wingers and the centre-forward was 30 metres.

"Roma transformed my entire existence. I came from a poor family, but at Roma I was earning a thousand times more than what my father was earning, even though I was always in brackets according to the newspapers at the time.”

In brackets?

“When they posted the formations in pre-season, I was never among the starters. Never. Even though I always started during my years at Roma. In reality, I was never a reserve. I fought for that jersey. I would even train on my own before the summer training camp started. That’s the sort of player I was.”

Which part of Rome are you from?

“I was born in Tor Pignattara. I live in Ferrara because I married a woman from Ferrara and we have two wonderful children. I now get to enjoy spending time with my three grandchildren.”

Do they know who their grandfather was?

“They’ve found that out over the years. One of them has the same name as me: Alberto Orlando. He’s 12 and plays for SPAL.”

In which position?

“Alberto is a right winger, but I’m unable to go and see him play. I’m too unwell. There’s too much focus on tactics in youth football nowadays.”

Speaking of tactics, did you ever think about coaching after your playing career was over?

“I’ve never liked it. Some years after I stopped playing, the sporting director role really took off. That was a position that I felt I was better suited to, but I’d been out of the game for too many years by that point.”

Which of your team-mates were the best?

“There were two: Francisco Lojacono and Dino Da Costa, but I was lucky enough to play with so many top players.”

Who was the toughest opponent you faced?

“Giacinto Facchetti because he was an attacking full-back. I was the one that had to chase after him, rather than the other way round. Then there was the Lazio midfielder Franco Janich. Every derby was a battle, but a fair one. He was a marvellous person and the opponent who I held in the highest regard. We were friends and met up when we could. The last time was at his house in Nemi. His death (on 2 December 2019) truly saddened me.”

You also must have felt sad when you left Roma.

“I was sold to Fiorentina and I would’ve been better off staying at home for the first subsequent game between Fiorentina and Roma. The emotions linked to the shirt that I’d worn for so many years were so strong and I just couldn’t see myself in another jersey. I didn’t touch the ball in the first half.”

This interview shows just how much you support Roma.

“No, I don’t just support Roma; it’s much more than that. Roma means everything to me.”