Riccardo Pagano

Riccardo Pagano
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-11-28) 28 November 2004
Place of birth Tivoli, Italy
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Cesena
Number 10
Youth career
–2014 Villanova Calcio
2014–2023 Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2026 Roma 4 (0)
2024–2025 → Catanzaro (loan) 20 (0)
2025–2026 → Bari (loan) 22 (0)
2026– Cesena 0 (0)
International career‡
2019 Italy U15 7 (1)
2019–2020 Italy U16 9 (0)
2021–2022 Italy U18 6 (1)
2022 Italy U19 2 (0)
2023 Italy U20 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 13 October 2023

Riccardo Pagano (born 28 November 2004) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie B club Cesena.[1]

Club career

Born in Tivoli, Lazio, Riccardo Pagano joined the Roma academy as a 9 years old, from ASD Villanova Calcio, in Guidonia Montecelio.[2][3][4][5]

Soon emerging as a leader with Roma youth teams, wearing the number 10 and the captain armband,[6][7] he signed a contract with the agency of Roma legend Francesco Totti on the summer 2020.[8]

Having established himself as standout with Roma's primavera[9]—a team that won the 2023 Coppa Primavera[5][10]—, he was first called by José Mourinho in May 2023, appearing on the bench against Fiorentina in Serie A.[2][11]

He was again included in the professional squad for the pre-season 2023–24, showing his attacking qualities in the summer friendlies.[3][4][12][13][14]

On 8 July 2025, Pagano moved on loan to Bari in Serie B, with an option to buy.[15]

International career

Riccardo Pagano is a youth international for Italy, playing with as a captain since the under-16s in 2020,[8] progressing until the under-19s in 2022.[3]

Style of play

Pagano is an attacking midfielder, able to vary his game and score in front of the goal.[4][12][13] he is ambipedal and he is also a free kick specialist.[5][16]

An offensively-minded midfielder, Pagano is also able to play as a second striker or in a more central midfield position.[2][13]

References

  1. ↑ Riccardo Pagano at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mourinho convoca Pagano: chi è il 'bambino' che gioca già con la 10 di Totti". Forzaroma.info (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Mancini, Christian (23 July 2023). "Chi è Riccardo Pagano, il classe 2004 che ha stregato Mourinho". Numero Diez (in Italian). Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "La 10 sotto l'ala di Totti e la lavagnetta di Mou: Riccardo Pagano, un nuovo talento giallorosso". Alfredo Pedullà (in Italian). 12 July 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Latini, Lorenzo (12 July 2023). "Quando i sacrifici Pagano". Il Romanista. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Zucchelli, Chiara (19 October 2021). "Pagano fa sognare la Roma: due gol e un assist contro la Lazio. E Totti gongola". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  7. ↑ Canicchio, Lorenzo. "Il 10 attacca, le difese Pagano. Quattro assist col Crotone". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Totti, il terzo colpo arriva dalla Roma: ecco Riccardo Pagano". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 24 June 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Canicchio, Lorenzo. "Roma, a Frosinone la versione migliore di Riccardo Pagano". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Scognamiglio, Pietro (25 April 2023). "Coppa Italia Primavera, la Fiorentina si inchina. La Roma fa festa dopo sei anni". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Consalvi, Fabrizio. "Roma: prima convocazione in Serie A per Riccardo Pagano". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  12. 1 2 Di Chiaro, Michael (10 July 2023). "Chi è Riccardo Pagano: il baby centrocampista offensivo convocato da Mourinho per il raduno della Roma". Goal (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  13. 1 2 3 Gigante, Andrea (13 July 2023). "Pagano e la lavagna di Mou: il talento della Roma avrà spazio in prima squadra?". 90min (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  14. ↑ Canicchio, Lorenzo. "Roma, ancora un ottimo Pagano con Mou. Suo l'assist per il poker di Bove". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Benvenuto Riccardo Pagano" [Welcome Riccardo Pagano] (in Italian). Bari. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  16. ↑ Siotto, Paolo (6 December 2022). "Leader tecnico e non solo, Riccardo Pagano è il numero 10 che fa sognare Roma". SerieBnews.com (in Italian). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
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