Every so often, a player arrives at your football club who’s on a level that, when you step back and think of the bigger picture, you realise you are lucky to have on your side.
Roma fans haven’t had too many of those players in their wilderness years out of the Champions League. In fact, the last example predating the current squad that springs immediately to mind would be Alisson Becker, the goalkeeper who was so strong it felt like he could have stopped an invasion during the 2017-18 season.
But there is at least one player to have joined Roma since they last competed among Europe’s elite – indeed, even more so because of that absence – that they can count themselves lucky to have: Paulo Dybala.
When Dybala joined Roma on a free transfer in 2022, he was fresh from seven consecutive seasons in the Champions League with Juventus. He had never even played in a Europa League game. Yet by the end of that season, he had almost written himself into immortality by scoring for Roma in the cursed Europa League final.
The 17th of 18 goals (five of which were in the Europa League) in his debut season at Roma, it could have held so much significance were it not for the injustice that followed.
The trophy was taken from Roma’s grasp, but Dybala didn’t need it to earn his place in club folklore. He has continued to be a shining light within a team that has often been otherwise average. And now, he looks ready to reprise his influential role on another European run.
Roma reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in Dybala’s second season, which could have been his last until he dramatically ruled out a summer exit for Saudi Arabia, prompting scenes of celebration without a ball being kicked. Although his form fluctuated in the early phases of the 2024-25 season (whose wouldn’t in a timeframe in which two coaches were sacked?), Dybala has enjoyed a renaissance under Claudio Ranieri.
In the second leg of the Europa League knockout play-off round against Porto, having been hacked away at in the first leg, Dybala had the last laugh, scoring two splendid goals to help elevate his side to round-of-16 status.
An excellent give-and-go with Eldor Shomurodov before a slithering run into the box and composed dink finish, and a blink-and-miss-it stunner from wide in the box, surrounded by Porto defenders, within the space of four minutes, made it Dybala’s night.
It's another brilliant finish from Paulo Dybala as he scores twice in four minutes to give Roma the lead 🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 20, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ZO6FiLTJTy
He wasn’t the only player who played well, but his ability transcended the majority of those around him – for the umpteenth time in his Roma career.
Dybala’s double helped Roma get past a potentially tricky opponent and into the round of 16, where they will face Athletic Club. Without the brace, Roma would have lost and been eliminated. And that followed two examples earlier in the season in which Roma would have only drawn games that Dybala scored the winners in, plus another they would have lost if it wasn’t for his equaliser.
Even in a season that only really got going for him in December, Dybala has been one of Roma’s best. They are lucky to have him.
After his Porto brace, Dybala moved onto 42 goals in Roma colours. Yes, there have been 17 penalties among them, but his ice-cool reputation from the spot has also proven to be a major benefit for his team.
Even if we were to take away the 17 penalties from Dybala’s record, the 25 goals he would be left with are still more than anyone else has scored for Roma since he joined the club in 2022. Put the penalties back in, and his tally of 42 is double the nearest contender (Lorenzo Pellegrini on 21).
Where would Roma be without Dybala? A brief flashback to earlier in the season – and please, keep it brief – when he wasn’t as influential on the team as he is being again now should remind you clearly.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s far too soon to say if Dybala will get to play in another European final for Roma. If he did get the chance, it would be an opportunity to add to his legacy – as would the not-too-unrealistic prospect of becoming just the 24th man to score 50 goals for Roma at some point along the way.
Dybala is a player currently teetering between cult hero and, as some are starting to wonder, club legend. It may feel like he needs to achieve more to definitively become the latter, but he has captivated this club and provided many moments of magic. His compatriot Gabriel Batistuta is a club legend and Dybala has outscored him in a similar amount of time. Obviously, memories of Batistuta at Roma are unavoidably attached to the club’s third Scudetto, but there have been other legends at the club who haven’t won a trophy – Edin Džeko, for example, is their third highest scorer of all time.
And, going back to the first player mentioned in this article, Alisson is regarded by many as the best goalkeeper they’ve seen at Roma, even if he was only first choice for one season. Play to a majestic standard, and you will leave your mark on this club. Dybala’s been doing that for the best part of three years.
Any assessment of how Dybala’s Roma career will be defined will have to wait, but with the memories he has given the club already, something extraordinary would have to happen for him not to be remembered fondly.
And until his time at the club comes to an end and people make their final judgements, keep this at the forefront of your mind: Roma are lucky to have Paulo Dybala.
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