Rodrigo Taddei

Early career

He started his career in Brazil with Palmeiras, then moved to Italy in September 2002 and signing for Siena, a then Serie B team, which later earned promotion to Serie A. After another season with Siena, Taddei left on a Bosman free transfer and signed a five-year contract with AS Roma on 3 June 2005. He earned a gross salary of €1.75M in the first season and €2.23M in the next 4 seasons.

Roma

After joining Roma prior to the 2005–06 season, Taddei made his debut on 28 August 2005 in a 3–0 win away to Reggina in Serie A. Taddei got his first taste of European football, helping Roma to the last 16 of the 2005–06 UEFA Cup, going out to Middlesbrough on away goals. Taddei ended his first season with 9 goals in 53 games in all competitions. Taddei received some attention after he performed a move he later titled "The Aurelio", named after AS Roma assistant manager Aurelio Andreazzoli, in a Champions League group stage match against Olympiacos on 18 October 2006. On 23 December 2006, he scored an acrobatic goal in a 2–0 win over Cagliari. On 4 April 2007, he scored the opening goal in Roma's 2–1 victory over Manchester United in the first leg of the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Taddei missed the second leg through injury, as Roma lost 7–1 at Old Trafford. The Brazilian ended the 2006–07 by winning his first trophy, helping Roma to the 2006–07 Coppa Italia, a trophy Roma would retain the following season, beating Internazionale on…

Taddei has never been capped by the Brazil national team but, thanks to his Italian citizenship, he is also eligible to play for Italy. He is in fact an Italian Brazilian, his great-grandparents were from Perugia and Turin. In February 2009, he publicly stated that he would accept a call from Marcello Lippi.

In late 2003, Taddei was seriously injured in a car accident. His younger brother Leonardo died in the accident and his teammate Pinga was also hurt. Upon recovery, Taddei returned to playing for Siena.

Palmeiras

Copa do Brasil: 1998 Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 2000 Copa dos Campeões: 2000 Copa Libertadores runner-up: 2000 Copa Mercosur runner-up: 2000 Siena

Serie B: 2002–03 Roma

Coppa Italia: 2006–07, 2007–08 Supercoppa Italiana: 2007