Riccardo Calafiori: The Next Great Italian Defender

Riccardo Calafiori is regarded as one of Italy’s most highly-rated and sought-after football talent in recent years, his style of play has drawn rave reviews from fans across the world. His Performances have attracted the attention of some of the world’s biggest clubs.

He is regarded as one of the most promising center-backs in the world today along with the likes of Leny Yoro, Pau Cubarsi and Jarrad Branthwaite. Join Footballers’ Biographies as we follow the journey of the next Paolo Maldini.

Player Profile – Riccardo Calafiori

Riccardo Calafiori is a promising left-back and centre-back known for his dynamic playing style, combining defensive solidity with offensive support and he plays for the Italian national team and Arsenal in the English Premier League.

He is a product of AS Roma’s youth academy, Calafiori overcame a serious knee injury early in his career to make his professional debut for Roma in 2020.

He later joined Basel and then Bologna, where he transitioned to a centre-back role under coach Thiago Motta and emerged as a standout player. Calafiori has represented Italy at various youth levels and made his senior national team debut in 2024, contributing to Italy’s UEFA Euro 2024 campaign.

Player Profile Overview

Riccardo Calafiori’s Early Life and Background

Riccardo Calafiori was born on May 19, 2002, in Rome, Italy and he joined AS Roma’s youth academy at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks as a promising left-back.

However, he suffered a severe knee injury in October 2018 that threatened his career, before making a full recovery to make an emotional debut for Roma against one of Italy’s biggest sides Juventus.

Playing Style and Strength

Riccardo Calafiori is known for his dynamic and versatile playing style as a center-back and a left-back. When playing as a left-back, he combines solid defensive capabilities with an attacking flair, offering both defensive stability and offensive support.

Overall, Calafiori is characterized by his strong physical presence, speed, agility, and positioning and can effectively mark opponents which allows him to make overlapping runs and contribute to both ends of the pitch. His technical skills, including accurate passing, crossing and good ball control, enhance his effectiveness in wide areas.

Additionally, he demonstrates tactical awareness and the ability to read the game, making him a well-rounded and influential player on the field. As a center-back, his aerial prowess comes to the fore, and his ability to launch attacks with splitting passes and playing on the front foot.

Riccardo Calafiori’s Career Highlights

Riccardo Calafiori started his career as a product of Roma’s youth academy and he signed his first professional contract with the club on June 16, 2018.

The talented Italian career suffered a disappointing setback when he suffered a severe knee injury that nearly ended his career.

Despite this challenge, he made a full recovery to make a notable Serie A debut in a 3–1 victory over Juventus. During the match, Calafiori won a penalty and had a goal disallowed due to the ball going out of play.

The following season, on December 3, 2020, Calafiori scored his first professional goal in a UEFA Europa League match against Young Boys after coming on as a substitute.

However, despite his continuous improvement for Roma, he was loaned to Genoa for further development, where he played only three matches for Genoa.

Riccardo Calafiori and The Swiss Adventure

After a less-than-impressive loan spell at Genoa, Riccardo Calafiori left AS Roma to join Basel on a permanent basis, signing a three-year contract. He joined Basel’s first team for the 2022–23 season under head coach Alexander Frei. Calafiori made his domestic league debut for Basel in a 1–0 away loss to Lugano.

He spent a single season with the Swiss club and made 26 appearances for the club and did not score a single goal as Basel finished 5th on the league standings, 27 points behind champions Young Boys.

Return to the Serie A

Riccardo Calafiori rejoined Serie A by signing with Bologna where he impressed fans and pundits enough to get a national team call-up for the 2024 UEFA Euros in Germany.

Under coach Thiago Motta, he was repositioned as a centre-back and became one of the league’s standout players. Calafiori scored his first Serie A goals with a brace in a 3–3 draw against Juventus, the same team he made his debut against.

Despite his goals and impressive performance in the match, Bologna capitulated and conceded three goals shortly after his substitution to end the match with a single point. He played 30 times for Bologna scoring 2 goals.

His performances throughout the season along with Joshua Zirkzee were key as they helped Bologna secure a top-five finish and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 60 years.

The Italian defender recently signed for Premier League side Arsenal ahead of the 2024-25 where he is expected to shore up showcase more of his talents to the world.

Riccardo Calafiori’s International Career

After making a total of 19 appearances and scoring two goals for Italy’s U15, U16 and U17 sides, Riccardo Calafiori made his debut for the Italy U21 team as a substitute in a 3–0 win against Luxembourg in 2021.

Calafiori earned his first call-up to the Italy senior squad for UEFA Euro 2024, under manager Luciano Spalletti. and made his senior international debut as a substitute in a 0–0 friendly draw against Turkey.

The Bologna star was named in the final squad for the tournament and he started in Italy’s 2–1 win over Albania in their opening match at the tournament. His appearance made him the second-youngest Italian to play in a UEFA European Championship, after Paolo Maldini.

He scored an own goal in Italy’s 1–0 loss to Spain but later an assist in Italy’s equalizer in a 1–1 draw against Croatia in the next match, which helped Italy advance to the round of 16.

However, he received a booking in the match against Croatia which ruled him out of Italy’s 2–0 defeat to Switzerland, leading to their elimination from the tournament.

Is Riccardo Calafiori The Next Paolo Maldini?

There have been a lot of talks in several quarters comparing Calafiori and AC Milan and Italy legend Paolo Maldidi. Although Riccardo Calafiori shows promise with his versatility and performances, particularly under coaches like Thiago Motta and Luciano Spalletti, it is still early in his career.

While he has some qualities that could allow him to develop into a top defender, predicting that he will reach Maldini’s legendary status requires time and sustained excellence.

Riccardo Calafiori’s future trajectory will depend on his continued development, consistency, and impact at the highest levels of the game.

Idols and Influence in Football

Riccardo Calafiori named former AS Roma captain and legend Daniele de Rossi as one of his football idols. He said this during a press conference, stating, “As far as idols, I’ve always looked up to Daniele De Rossi. Everyone knows who he is and what he did in his career.” The talented defender also credited Jose Mourinho as who influenced his career.

Personal Life and Interest

Riccardo Calafiori is in a romantic relationship with Benedetta Beome who has been seen following and supporting the defender. However, the pair are said to be going through a turbulent time in their relationship following a social media post by Benedetta Beome.

Conclusion

Calafiori’s story is one of resilience and determination, after overcoming a career-ending injury, the youngster has risen to deliver on one of the biggest football stages at EURO 2024 in Germany. As he continues his exploits the sky is the limit for the talented defender.