Although it has largely been a season to forget for AS Roma, after failing to qualify for the Champions League again, supporters have been able to take a giant bit of consolation from this scrap heap in one year.
- Advertisement -
That joy has arrived in the form of 19-year-old midfielder Ebrima Darboe, who was promoted from Primavera to become a regular starter during the last weeks of the 2020/21 campaign.
A night that Ebrima Darboe will never forget! ??? #ASRoma #UEL pic.twitter.com/gUMan03y7H
– AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) 7 May 2021
Darboe, born in 2001 – the same year that Roma last won Scudetto – finished playing five league competitions for I Giallorossi and showed that he is ready for professional games.
In fact, he has awakened the whole of Europe with his rapid adaptation to life in Serie A, so much so that a plethora of Premier League sides are now chasing his signature in the summer transfer window, which 90min exclusively revealed on Saturday.
So who is this unearthed gem, and what is there to know about Rome’s shining light from a time of misery?
It has not been an easy journey to the top / Jonathan Moscrop / Getty Images
The road to the top is seldom straightforward, but for Darboe it was harder than most players could ever imagine. The young man left his family and homeland Gambia before he even turned 15 in search of a better life, as reported by Rietilife.com.
He arrived in Libya and was taken to a refugee camp by traffickers, where he suffered various forms of violence. Fortunately, he managed to escape by boat and make the difficult journey to Sicily.
From there he traveled to Rieti, a city in central Italy, weighing only 50 kg due to the treacherous journey and the circumstances. He was taken in by a family in Rieti, and that was where he came in contact with the football world.
Since then, he has never looked back.
The beginning of his professional journey / Jonathan Moscrop / Getty Images
It has been a while since a youth academy star made an impact in Roma’s first team, but a new harvest of young people are coming through and pushing for their chance. Darboe is one of a handful who have made that step this year, when he came into the final seven minutes of a 2-0 defeat against Sampdoria.
It was a disappointing game to make a debut, but you try to tell Darboe. Shortly afterwards, he went out on the sacred grass of the Stadio Olimpico and played more than an hour against the giants Manchester United in the Europa League semi-final.
He did not look either. An exciting talent.
Perfect location from Ebrima Darboe! ?
See more highlights from today’s emphatic Primavera win ➡️ https://t.co/4U6V1YQ5ou #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/fYMYtfKvQ1
– AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) October 17, 2020
From his first appearances on the Roma side, it was clear to see that this boy has some serious talent. What is most impressive about the midfielder is the calm he has on the ball.
Darboe is ready to turn, shimmer and turn again under the pressure of mountains to avoid his marker, and will always see to passing the ball vertically. His progressive style of play makes him one of the first reference points for the goalkeeper, who is waiting for him to let in and collect possession before he gets the team started.
He is quick to protect his back line and is not afraid of the physical battle and enjoys lots of duels in his few league competitions. He has also said he can play as a trequartista, and his goal for Primavera supports these claims. Basically, he can do anything and with the wrong confidence.
A born winner / VI-Images / Getty Images
It is for this unimaginable ease and calm on the ball that he has been nicknamed Xavi, after the legend in Spain and Barcelona. “Some called me Xavi, others Messi,” Darboe admitted in an interview with Ultimo Uomo.
He was then asked if it was due to his tendency to turn away from problems by protecting and pushing the ball with the outside of his boot.
“Yes, because he always made that move. And then I also play two or three hands. This is my style of play. “
Xavi and Messi rolled into a player – you can not argue with that.
Match man: ????? ?
Congratulations to Ebrima Darboe with another #ASRoma @qatarairways Man of the Match! ? pic.twitter.com/FlzzwjwNVz
– AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) 16 May 2021
And he has done much to justify the above comparisons. In his one Europa League and five Serie A appearances, Darboe has fought against Man Utd, Italian champions Inter and then met Lazio in the derby della Capitale.
He was also selected as the Man of the Match in his first full start against Crotone, as well as receiving the same prize in the 2-0 victory over their toughest rivals. He has come forward under Paulo Fonseca, but he is now ready for life under one of the world’s most famous coaches.
“I think every player wants to be coached by Mourinho. I watched him as a kid, in class,” Darboe admitted. And what was his response when he learned that Mourinho wanted warriors in his team?
“I know, I know. I’m ready.” This boy was born and fought and he is ready to fight for Roma and Mourinho. Let’s hope the Portuguese coach gives him the chance.
“It’s not easy to find a player with this courage and this calm. And always play forward, always pass vertically.” (Paulo Fonseca)
“Darboe is a good guy, he takes all the advice on board and does the right things. He played with an impressive personality already against Manchester. Now he has to feel comfortable and work as he does now.” (Teammate Gianluca Mancini)
A well respected young man.
