Riccardo Pagano

Riccardo Pagano
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-11-28) 28 November 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Tivoli, Italy
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Catanzaro
(on loan from Roma)
Number 24
Youth career
–2014 Villanova Calcio
2014– Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Roma 4 (0)
2024– → Catanzaro (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2019 Italy U15 7 (1)
2019–2020 Italy U16 9 (0)
2021–2022 Italy U18 6 (1)
2022 Italy U19 2 (0)
2023– Italy U20 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 September 2023

Riccardo Pagano (born 28 November 2004) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie B club Catanzaro, on loan from Roma.[1]

Club career

Born in Tivoli, Lazio, Riccardo Pagano joined the AS Roma academy as a 9 years old, from ASD Villanova Calcio, in Guidonia Montecelio.[2][3][4][5]

Soon emerging as a leader with Rome youth teams, wearing the number 10 and the captain armband,[6][7] he signed a contract with the agency of AS Roma legend Francesco Totti on the summer 2020.[8]

Having established himself as standout with Roma's primavera[9]—a team that won the 2023 Coppa Primavera[5][10]—, he was first called by José Mourinho in May 2023, appearing on the bench against Fiorentina in Serie A.[2][11]

He was again included in the professional squad for the pre-season 2023–24, showing his attacking qualities in the summer friendlies.[3][4][12][13][14]

International career

Riccardo Pagano is a youth international for Italy, playing with as a captain since the under-16s in 2020,[8] progressing until the under-19s in 2022.[3]

Style of play

Pagano has been described as an attacking midfielder with good technique and creativity, able to vary his game and score in front of the goal.[4][12][13] Good with both feet, he is also a free kick specialist.[5][15]

An offensively-minded midfielder, Pagano is also able to play as a second striker or in a more central midfield position.[2][13]

References

  1. ^ Riccardo Pagano at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Mourinho convoca Pagano: chi è il 'bambino' che gioca già con la 10 di Totti". Forzaroma.info (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Mancini, Christian (23 July 2023). "Chi è Riccardo Pagano, il classe 2004 che ha stregato Mourinho". Numero Diez (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "La 10 sotto l'ala di Totti e la lavagnetta di Mou: Riccardo Pagano, un nuovo talento giallorosso". Alfredo Pedullà (in Italian). 12 July 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Latini, Lorenzo (12 July 2023). "Quando i sacrifici Pagano". Il Romanista. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. ^ Zucchelli, Chiara (19 October 2021). "Pagano fa sognare la Roma: due gol e un assist contro la Lazio. E Totti gongola". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  7. ^ Canicchio, Lorenzo. "Il 10 attacca, le difese Pagano. Quattro assist col Crotone". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Totti, il terzo colpo arriva dalla Roma: ecco Riccardo Pagano". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 24 June 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  9. ^ Canicchio, Lorenzo. "Roma, a Frosinone la versione migliore di Riccardo Pagano". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  10. ^ Scognamiglio, Pietro (25 April 2023). "Coppa Italia Primavera, la Fiorentina si inchina. La Roma fa festa dopo sei anni". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  11. ^ Consalvi, Fabrizio. "Roma: prima convocazione in Serie A per Riccardo Pagano". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b Di Chiaro, Michael (10 July 2023). "Chi è Riccardo Pagano: il baby centrocampista offensivo convocato da Mourinho per il raduno della Roma". Goal (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Gigante, Andrea (13 July 2023). "Pagano e la lavagna di Mou: il talento della Roma avrà spazio in prima squadra?". 90min (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  14. ^ Canicchio, Lorenzo. "Roma, ancora un ottimo Pagano con Mou. Suo l'assist per il poker di Bove". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  15. ^ Siotto, Paolo (6 December 2022). "Leader tecnico e non solo, Riccardo Pagano è il numero 10 che fa sognare Roma". SerieBnews.com (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.