Tonino Trebiciani, the legendary Roma youth academy coach credited with discovering Bruno Conti, handing Agostino Di Bartolomei his debut, and developing generations of Italian talent, has died at the age of 88.
The club confirmed his passing on Friday with an official statement, hailing Trebiciani as a figure who "left a deep mark on the Club's history." His funeral will be held on Saturday 25 July at 3pm at the Chiesa di Regina Pacis in Rome.
Trebiciani was a towering figure in Roma's youth setup during the 1970s, winning three Primavera league titles between 1973 and 1978 as well as back-to-back Coppe Italia Primavera in 1973-74 and 1974-75 — making him the most decorated youth coach in the club's history.
His eye for talent was extraordinary. He scouted Bruno Conti while the future World Cup winner was playing in Nettuno, gave Di Bartolomei his first-team debut, and launched Claudio Ranieri's playing career, along with Nando Orsi and countless others. The list of players who developed under his guidance reads like a who's who of Roma and Italian football over the following decades.
In the 1972-73 season, Trebiciani briefly stepped up to coach the senior side, replacing Helenio Herrera for the final six Serie A matchdays. He secured the club's top-flight status with four draws and two defeats, keeping Roma up on goal difference. He later served as assistant to Nils Liedholm.
After leaving Roma, Trebiciani coached Rieti in 1979 and then led Latina to a historic promotion to Serie C between 1980 and 1982. In recent years he remained involved in coaching at youth level across several clubs.
Roma's official statement read: "AS Roma expresses its condolences for the passing of Antonio Trebiciani, a historic coach of the Giallorossi Youth Sector and guide of the First Team in 1973. Through his work he contributed to the growth of generations of players, leaving a profound mark on the Club's history. All of AS Roma is close to the pain of his family and his loved ones."
With Trebiciani's passing, Italian football loses one of its most influential talent developers — a man who shaped players, not just results, and whose legacy lives on in every talent that emerged from the Roma academy.
Sources
- https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Roma/24-07-2026/tonino-trebiciani-e-morto-l-ex-roma-aveva-88-anni.shtml
