Happy birthday Ago, my captain

Ciao Ago – capitano – and, first and foremost, happy birthday.

I’m writing this letter because I wanted to thank you again. I’ve already said it in the past, on more than one occasion, but I wanted to do so, on the day you would have turned 66.

It’s worth saying today – and every day. Thank you for being my role model at Roma. When I joined the team, you were the first person to take me under their wing and speak to me. I can remember it as if it were yesterday. We were at the Tre Fontane, for one of our many weeks of training. Back then, fans used to come to the pitch all the time. They’d be there in their masses, seeing as the gates were just open.

You could feel the pressure, the desire those people had to win. I wasn’t even 18 at that point. You took me to one side and said: “Look at these wonderful fans, Ubaldo. We have to respect and honour the shirt we wear. We have to play for them.”

Well, I listened to those powerful words and carried them with me forever.

On the subject of words, people on the outside thought you were quiet and didn’t laugh much, but the man I knew was an exuberant one – one who loved to play and joke around. In the right time and place, of course. If there was work to do and it was time to be professional, you set the example. As the captain.

There’s one thing I always remember about you. When you gave somebody a really tight hug, you revealed a glimpse of the love you had inside. There’s a photo of you and Bruno Conti under the stadium on the day of his retirement, in 1991. It still exists somewhere.

That was your way of showing your love for your friend, your team-mate.

It’s hard to imagine what you’d be doing today. You had lots of interests – you loved art and culture. I thought you were so fascinating and charismatic. In my eyes, I think you would have become a director at a club rather than a coach.

When we played, and you were our captain, you acted as the go-between with the club when there were issues that needed resolving. Or you’d take the directors’ side when the club had something to ask of us. You always knew which buttons to push, which words to use and how to approach us – you knew just what we needed.

You always worked for the team, for Roma, 24 hours a day. Not just on the pitch, not just in training and not just in matches. Always. All the time.

You always listened to everyone, but when you had something to say to the group, we remained in an almost religious silence. The eyes and attention of everyone were on you. Your words carried weight. You knew how to give guidance to young players and veterans alike. And we adopted the ideas you spoke about like they were part of some manifesto.

When you and Falcao spoke, it was a sight to behold. We were constantly learning.

We spoke a lot during the training camp in the mountains in the build-up to that final on 30 May 1984. You tried to take the edge off the wait, to downplay it all, but inevitably we all felt a bit of tension. That wasn’t the case for the English. They even went into Rome to go shopping before the game.

Thinking back to that 30 May, and the one that followed ten years later… We both scored in the lottery of penalties, but it wasn’t enough for us to secure the trophy we deserved.

That’s the clearest memory I have of the evening. I don’t remember anything after the game. Zero. Complete darkness. For me and for my friends, who were at the stadium.

It was a line-in-the-sand moment for that Roma side, for all of us. And for you. Ten years later, we all know what happened.

And it never should have.

I have nothing more to add, except thank you.

Thank you, Agostino. And happy birthday again, captain.

Ubaldo Righetti

Defender Ubaldo Righetti played for Roma from 1980 to 1987, making more than 170 appearances for the club and winning both Serie A and the Coppa Italia (three times) during his time with the Giallorossi.