Gasperini Believes in Champions League Push; Demands Clear Signal from Roma Ownership

AS Roma holds the record for the most World Cup-winning editions involving at least one player from its squad, with nine tournaments claimed. Spain's elimination of Argentina denied Lautaro Martínez the chance to win a second World Cup and Inter the opportunity to match Roma's tally. Inter remains second with eight World Cup wins from its players, followed by Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Juventus on seven each. Roma's World Cup history spans nearly a century. The first Roma players to win the tournament were three Italians at the 1934 home World Cup: Attilio Ferraris IV, Enrique Guaita, and Guido Masetti. Masetti returned to lift the trophy again in 1938 without appearing on the pitch in either tournament, alongside Eraldo Monzeglio, Aldo Donati, and Pietro Serantoni. After a lengthy drought, Bruno Conti's triumph in 1982 reignited the run. Rudi Voeller and Thomas Berthold won in 1990. The longest unbroken streak followed: five consecutive World Cup victories featuring Roma players. Aldair won in 1994, Vincent Candela in 1998, Cafú in 2002, and Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, and Simone Perrotta in 2006. Most recently, Paulo Dybala won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, converting a penalty in Argentina's victory over France. No other club matches Roma's count.

Gian Piero Gasperini's wing options have been severely depleted after Zeki Çelik's surprise departure, leaving the Roma boss to pursue reinforcements in that area. The squad reported for pre-season with Wesley, Devyne Rensch, and Angeliño as available options. While Wesley remains reliable and Rensch offers a capable alternative, Angeliño has failed to convince. Last season was troubled for the Spanish left-back, who started Roma's opening five league matches but managed only thirty minutes in the field across games against Lecce and Pisa in March and April, hampered by persistent physical problems from which he never recovered. Gasperini has been monitoring him closely during pre-season training, but even in Thursday's friendly against the Primavera, Angeliño showed no encouraging signs. Kostas Tsimikas, who departed to Liverpool without lingering regret, will not be available this season, though Salah-Eddine is expected to return. Gasperini has identified the wing positions as requiring a complete overhaul, given that attacking midfielders have historically been central to his tactical approach. The club's primary target is reportedly Moreira, though Strasbourg's demands of at least 50 million euros present a significant obstacle. Roma are also interested in Savona and Belghali. The club needs to recruit at least two wide players, with at least one capable of operating as both full-back and centre-back, or across both flanks—a versatility Çelik possessed before his sudden exit despite a verbal agreement to extend his contract through 2029.

Artem Dovbyk has begun the 2026–27 season at Roma following a lengthy injury layoff that sidelined him from February onwards. The Ukrainian striker was among the squad members who reported for pre-season training at Trigoria, where he appeared in a friendly against the Primavera and scored twice, with a third goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision. Although he was booed by some supporters reflecting his difficult two seasons at the club, Dovbyk now has an opportunity to rehabilitate his Roma career under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Dovbyk arrived in summer 2024 from Girona for a total fee of around €36 million, making him one of the most expensive signings in Roma's history. His first season yielded a respectable 17 goals across all competitions in 45 appearances, but the 2025–26 campaign proved far more disappointing, yielding only three Serie A goals in 14 appearances and one assist in European competition before his injury. At 189 cm tall, Dovbyk possesses a distinctly different physical profile from primary striker Donyell Malen and could operate as a relief option or even alongside the Dutch forward in certain tactical moments. His substantial wages make a departure difficult to arrange, but if he remains, Gasperini can deploy him as a reserve to provide cover and potentially relieve pressure on the player.