Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s grandson back in Rome football
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s grandson back in Rome football")
Benito Mussolini’s grandson back in Rome football Photograph: (AFP)
Romano is the great-grandson of Benito Mussolini, the former fascist dictator, who ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943. His mother, Alessandra Mussolini, is a well-known politician and former member of Parliament.
Romano Floriani Mussolini is back at Serie A club SS Lazio after spending the last season on loan at Juve Stabia in Italy’s second division. At just 21 years old, the young defender is sweating hard to establish himself in football, but unlike most players, he carries a surname that brings him instant attention. Romano is the great-grandson of Benito Mussolini, the former fascist dictator, who ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943. His mother, Alessandra Mussolini, is a well-known politician and former member of Parliament. While Romano stays away from politics, his family history often becomes the main talking point around him.
He joined Lazio’s youth system, known as S.S. Lazio Primavera (or Lazio Youth Academy), which is the development programme of the Italian football club S.S. Lazio, based in Rome. It focuses on training and nurturing young football talents, usually from ages 8 to 19, to prepare them for professional football. In doing so, Romano focused completely on football and stayed away from the media spotlight.
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Coaches who have worked with him say he’s respectful, hard-working, and determined to earn his place based on performance, not his name. But playing for Lazio, a club whose fanbase has been linked to far-right groups in the past, only increases the public interest in him.
During his loan stint at Juve Stabia, Romano scored his first professional goal in a match against Cesena. Unfortunately, controversy overshadowed the moment as sections of the crowd chanted 'Mussolini' and made fascist salutes during the celebration. This led the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to launch an official investigation, as such gestures are banned in Italy.
Despite the attention around him, Romano is focused on football. Now back at Lazio, he hopes to create a new chapter in his career and let his talent speak louder than his surname.
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