Roman Rivalries in Stadio Olimpico
AS Roma and SS Lazio (Sports Association of Rome and Lazio Sports Society) - The History of Life On and Off the Pitch
Walking down a dark tunnel, dimly lit by small rectangular light bulbs, AS Roma and SS Lazio players enter Stadio Olimpico, not just an athletic complex, but a cathedral for soccer and other sports in Italy. AS Roma, the Sports Association of Rome, and SS Lazio, the Lazio Sports Society, are the two soccer clubs who play and are based out of Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Upon navigating the hallways and locker rooms underneath the stadium, players eventually reach the ultimate destination, the pitch. Roaring fans, and extreme conditions, all for 90 minutes until one side reigns victorious. This is not just at Stadio Olimpico, this is across all of Europe. Whatever language one speaks, or the nation one resides in, does not matter once one enters the soccer pitch. Within Italy, soccer remains a significant part of the culture and this is truly represented by the magnificence of Stadio Olimpico and its surroundings. Surviving under the aura of past fascist regimes, the stadium has remained a focal point of Italian soccer, bringing together more than 70,000 loyal supporters on match day.
Stadio Olimpico
Luscious green grass surrounded by tens of thousands of screaming fans. Whether there for a Roma or Lazio match or to attend the various other sporting events, Stadio Olimpico is truly one of a kind. The property comprises a soccer stadium and an athletic complex of tennis, swimming, rugby, track, and other sports. Since opening its doors in 1937, Stadio Olimpico has been the home of countless historical sporting events including but not limited to European soccer championships, the World Cup, the Olympics, and more.
During the 1960 Olympic Games, the stadium hosted ceremonial events as well as track and field competitions. As the largest stadium in Rome and the second largest in Italy, Stadio Olimpico is a haven for sports and culture within Italy. Locals come to play a variety of sports on any given day and can take in the beauty of the campus that sits in the biggest city in Italy.
Studio Olimpico in Rome, Italy - Image by Bella LoBue
Studio Olimpico in Rome, Italy - Image by Bella LoBue
Soccer Shop in Rome, Italy - Image By Bella LoBue
Soccer Shop in Rome, Italy - Image By Bella LoBue
Romans shopping for soccer merch - Image by Bella LoBue
Romans shopping for soccer merch - Image by Bella
Associazione Sportiva (AS) Roma:
During the rise of fascism in Italy in 1927, AS Roma was founded. Three clubs in Rome emerged: Fortitudo-Pro Roma, Football Club di Roma, and Alba-Audace. They were created with the intention to defeat the Northern Italian clubs, with a conglomerate “superclub”.
Since then, AS Roma has been the most popular and famous soccer club from Rome. Although they share a stadium with SS Lazio, they are bitter rivals and their supporters are loyal and dedicated fans to one or the other. Due to the dedication of their fans, the soccer rivalries can even create rifts between families.
Eleonora, a tour guide at Stadio Olimpico, expressed that her family supports Roma, and if she were to ever root for Lazio, a ripple effect of negative consequences would result within her family. While Roma tends to be the more popular club, Lazio was founded much earlier and has a deeper history within Roman soccer.
Società Sportiva (SS) Lazio:
SS Lazio was founded in 1900 and remained the premier club in Rome for a number of years. As fascism was rising and Rome’s soccer clubs were failing to succeed in soccer, the high-end Roman clubs merged and gathered all the best players together. SS Lazio refused to merge, the only major Roman club to do so, which created a strong rivalry between AS Roma and SS Lazio, one that many consider to be one of the most intense rivalries across Italian soccer. Similarly to American sports, two teams from the same city tend to feud often, and Italian soccer is no different.
During matches between Roma and Lazio, fans can become uber competitive, sometimes resulting in violence between fans. Over the years, SS Lazio has received harsh criticism and hatred due to its past, especially since former fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini was a supporter of the club.
They have worked hard to overcome the cynical tropes surrounding them and have withstood the violence and tyrannical ideals they once stood for. Nonetheless, they can't erase their history, and must deal with the discourse surrounding their past.
When discussing sports culture across Italy, Europe, or even the world, one cannot tell its story without mentioning Stadio Olimpico and the soccer culture of Italy.
Basem Habib's tattoo of a soccer ball, displaying how Roman soccer culture influences his lifestyle and what it means to him personally. -- Image by Bella LoBue
Basem Habib's tattoo of a soccer ball, displaying how Roman soccer culture influences his lifestyle and what it means to him personally. -- Image by Bella LoBue
For instance, Baseem Habib, who has worked in a gelato shop for the past three years, mentioned attending every game he can at Stadio Olimpico when he is not working. When asked, "What is the significance of football in your life", due to the sighting of a football tattoo on his hand, he stated, "Football is just part of my life." Habib played football throughout his school years, and although he doesn’t play anymore, he watches it at any point that he can with his friends. When asked what team he supports, Habib expressed his undying loyalty to AS Roma, as he would not speak on Lazio. Habib mentioned, "I live in Rome and I want to support AS Roma". In his eyes, the answer is simple, and there is no other team other than AS Roma to support when it comes to Rome.
Whether it be diehard fans, political inspiration, or magnificent architecture, AS Roma and SS Lazio have complicated histories that continue to overlap with one another. Every European nation has its own intense rivalry, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in Spain, Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, Porto and Benfica in Portugal, and many more. Yet the rivalry between Roma and Lazio transcends soccer and adds to the glorious roots of Italian culture.
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