A brief respite from soccer's me-first culture - Direct Kick - Angelo Di Livio - Brief Article

Soccer Digest, Oct-Nov, 2002 by Scott Plagenhoef

WHEN REPORTS ABOUT THE contents of Manchester United star Roy Keane's autobiography surfaced, few people were surprised. In his book, Keane admits among other things that he twice intentionally tried to injure a player and that he dislikes many, if not most, of his current teammates. He also continued his verbal barrages against both Ireland coach Mick McCarthy and the English Football Association. Keane's a particularly loose cannon, but this sort of me-first attitude is all too common in soccer, and sports in general, these days. As teams are continually forced to pinch pennies in order to make up for the bursting of the late-1990s economic bubble, players have become increasingly protective of their interests--except Angelo Di Livio.

Two months after representing Italy at the 2002 World Cup, Di Livio pledged his allegiance to the skeletal remains of his former club, Fiorentina, and its city and fans--despite the team's fourth-division status.

The financially devastated Florentine club was relegated from Serie A last year, and when it was refused entry into Serie B it ceased to exist as a sporting club. Built on Fiorentina's ashes, Florentia Viola has been placed in Serie C2, the Italian equivalent of U.S. soccer's PDL and Major League Baseball's Class A. Di Livio last played at that level in 1988.

This wasn't even a case of honoring a current contract: Di Livio signed a new two-year pact. The best that the team can do within that time is advance to Serie C1. At 36, Di Livio presumably can afford to have his wages cut by one-tenth but this is the time in a player's career when he looks to land one final inflated deal before hanging up his boots.

Di Livio could have done likewise, but he turned down multiple offers from other Serie A teams--deals which the rest of his former Fiorentina first-team mates gladly inked--in order to show commitment to the fans. "It wasn't a difficult decision," Di Livio told an Italian daily. "There are more important things in life than money. Florence has shown me so much affection, and this is a way to give the city something back."

Di Livio has earned upwards of 40 caps for Italy, played in two World Cups, and won the Champions League with Juventus. He had nothing else to prove in his career except that he was a player of class, loyalty, and grace. And now he's done just that.

In a sport in which some European clubs have existed for more than 100 years thanks primarily to the unwavering support of their communities, it's a treat to see a player show the same sort of loyalty toward his club's fans and his team's hometown. After a storied career, Di Livio may be going out on the bottom, but he can do it with his head held high.