Fabrizio Roda dies at age 57: He made his Serie A debut at age 18 against Sampdoria, led by Vialli and Mancini

Fabrizio Roda was just 18 years old when, on February 14, 1988, he made his debut for Como against Sampdoria—a team featuring Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Toninho Cerezo, and Pietro Vierchowod. Nearly 39 years after that Sunday at Marassi, the soccer world mourns the passing of the former defender, who died at just 57 years old.

Born in Monza on March 5, 1969, Roda spent most of his career in the lower professional leagues, building a career far from the spotlight of Serie A. Once he hung up his cleats, however, he did not abandon the game, continuing to put his experience to work for amateur clubs in the Como area. The most memorable moment of Fabrizio Roda’s career remains tied to that Sunday in February 1988. Como, coached by Tarcisio Burgnich, faced Vujadin Boškov’s Sampdoria at Marassi—one of the teams destined to leave their mark on Italian soccer during those years. The Blucerchiati won 3-0, but for the young defender from Como, that match represented an unforgettable moment. In the 85th minute, with the outcome already decided, Burgnich sent him onto the field to replace midfielder Fabio Viviani, who would later become a Vicenza legend.

Much of Roda’s career unfolded away from the big stages, on the fields of Serie C. Among the clubs most closely associated with his career is Pergocrema, for which he made a total of 59 appearances between the 1989–90 and 1991–92 seasons. The Gialloblù club remembers him as a tenacious fullback, embodying a style of play characterized by tight marking, tackles, and one-on-one duels. After his time in Crema, the defender also played for Varese, Fiorenzuola, Pro Vercelli, and Canzese, experiencing various clubs in Northern Italy. In the 1994–95 season, he joined Pro Vercelli, where he earned a spot on the team coached by Sergio Caligaris, which had just returned to the professional ranks. That squad also included players such as Sandro Beccari, Massimo Storgato, Antonio Obbedio, Fabio Artico, Marco Weffort, and Alessandro Provenzano.

After retiring as a player, Roda remained in the world of soccer, continuing to frequent the fields in the Como area. His knowledge of the game and his experience became an asset for several amateur clubs in the province of Como. In 2012, he coached Atletico Erba in the Promozione division, while in 2013, Arcellasco entrusted him with the first team competing in the Eccellenza league, promoting him from the youth ranks. He continued this work over the years, never straying far from the environment that had been a constant throughout his life. In June 2024, he also participated in the Sergio Gualdi-Nazzareno Tosetti Memorial in Maslianico, taking the field alongside other former players who had come up through Como’s youth system. In recent years, Fabrizio Roda had continued to be involved with amateur soccer in the province of Como, including his work with SAMZ Eupilio Longone.