Latest news with #AlessandraMussolini
New York Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Mussolini's great-grandson says ‘my name has never caused me problems' after Serie A transfer
Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, said he wants to focus on football and not his family name after joining Serie A side Cremonese on loan. The versatile 22-year-old, who primarily plays at right-back but also on the right-side of midfield, has joined the newly-promoted club on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy from his parent club Lazio. Advertisement The footballer, who is also the son of Italian politician Alessandra Mussolini, said at his introductory press conference on Wednesday that he is 'here to play football' and reiterated that his surname 'bothers other people more than me.' 'My surname has never caused me any problems and, from my point of view, the less said about it, the better,' Mussolini said, in quotes carried by Italian press agency Ansa. 'I'm here to express myself on the pitch, nothing else'. Mussolini spent last season on loan at Juve Stabia in Serie B, the second division of Italian football, and scored his first goal in December. During the goal celebration, the stadium announcer called out his first name, 'Romano', seven times, with dozens of fans responding by chanting 'Mussolini' and appearing to give fascist salutes. After that incident, Juve Stabia denied those were the gestures in a statement: 'When the name of the scoring player is announced, we raise our arms to the sky as a sign of the team that is in our heart and which represents the city. This was once again the case with this (Mussolini's) goal.' Mussolini said that controversy was 'pointless' and said that he mainly talks about football, not politics, with his family. 'But I'd like people to talk about me only for how I play,' Mussolini added. 'I want to show what I can do and prove my value.' Mussolini's father was Mario Floriani, a police officer, who alongside his mother agreed that their son would have two surnames — Floriani and Mussolini — of which he could choose which to use first when he became an adult. Mussolini's mother said the Italian civil and church authorities had both agreed to this as an exception, as it was not until 2022 that Italy's top court ruled that children will be given their mother's and father's surnames at birth, with the previous practice of only giving children their father's surname 'constitutionally illegitimate'. During his time at Juve Stabia, Mussolini opted to use 'F. Mussolini' as the name on the back of his shirt. Mussolini previously played in the youth system at Roma before joining city rivals Lazio, while he also spent 2023-24 on loan at Pescara in Serie C. ()
Reuters
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Mussolini's great-grandson hopes skills on pitch outweigh family name
July 23 (Reuters) - Defender Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, said he wants his footballing talent to mean more than his family name as he readies for a Serie A debut with promoted side Cremonese. The 22-year-old right back, on loan from Lazio, joined Cremonese earlier this month after the club earned promotion to the Italian top flight via the Serie B playoffs. "I'm here to play football. My surname? It has bothered others more than it's ever bothered me. It's a heavy name for others, but not for me," Floriani Mussolini told a press conference on Wednesday. "The less it's talked about, the better. I'm here to express myself on the pitch, nothing else... I want to gain valuable experience in Serie A, go up against more experienced players, and play as much as possible to showcase my abilities." Floriani Mussolini is the son of Mauro Floriani and Italian politician Alessandra Mussolini, a former member of the European Parliament for the Forza Italia party and the grand-daughter of Benito Mussolini, who was prime minister of Italy from 1922 to 1943 following a fascist coup. Floriani Mussolini, who can also play as a winger, made 37 appearances for Juve Stabia last season, who lost to Cremonese in the semi-finals of the playoffs. He joined the Lazio youth academy at the age of 13 from rivals AS Roma. "The match against Lazio will be special, it's the team I grew up with and support," he added. "But right now I'm focused on giving my all for Cremonese, and I want to win that one." Cremonese begin their Serie A campaign away to AC Milan on August 23.
