Former Roma manager and player Daniele De Rossi has revealed some shocking details about the first time he met Roy Keane.
De Rossi, 41, was a combative midfielder during his playing days, having hung up his in 2019 after a short spell with Argentinian side Boca Juniors.
The 2006 World Cup winner swiftly moved into management after his retirement from football, with his first managerial role coming at S.P.A.L in 2022 before taking charge of Roma in 2024.
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De Rossi is held in high regard by fans of the I Giallorossi, having played for the club 616 times, helping them to the 2006/07 and 2007/08 Coppa Italia triumphs.
The former centre-midfielder went up against several world-class opponents, including Zinedine Zidane and Clarence Seedorf, during his career, but it was Roy Keane who De Rossi ‘lost respect’ for when they sat down at a restaurant in the Italian capital - while filming with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright for The Overlap brought to you by Sky Bet.
The former professional footballers were gathered around a table eating Spaghetti when Wright called Keane out, saying: “He [Roy Keane] is cutting his pasta, this is crazy.”
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“An idol, an idol. Cutting Spaghetti!” De Rossi joked.
A bemused-looking Keane then amusingly questioned: “Why didn’t you tell me [how to eat the pasta]?”
“Because I didn’t realise you would do something like that,” Wright replied.
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The clip then cut to the former Arsenal and Man United men discussing the incident at a later date.
“He [De Rossi] lost a lot of respect for me,” Keane said in jest.
Of course, the incident was just some fun between a few former opponents, and it would be fair to assume De Rossi holds Keane in high regard given his previous comments about the Irishman.
“In my opinion, the legendary Manchester United captain needs no introduction,” De Rossi told AS Roma’s website during an interview published in May 2016.
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“He’s my all-time idol. Besides Gaia (my daughter, who was born on the 16th), I wear 16 because of him.
"He’s the only person in the world I’ve asked for a photo, two years ago. I was too embarrassed with Maradona, but I couldn’t resist with him.”
Luke Alfred Davies