Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, came off the bench to help Cremonese defeat Sassuolo 3-2 in his Serie A debut. Introduced with eight minutes remaining, the 22-year-old Floriani Mussolini earned the penalty from which Manuel de Luca struck the winner for the newly promoted side, who went top of the Serie A table with two wins in two matches.
The right-back, on loan from Lazio, was an unused substitute in Cremonese's 2-1 win at AC Milan during the Serie A opener last week. Too many things happened in too little time, I don't think I'll ever forget the night because I've always dreamed of making my debut in Serie A, said Floriani Mussolini. My goal was to make a difference and I'm happy that I managed to do that. Floriani Mussolini wears the number 22 shirt at Cremonese and has 'Romano' on the back of his jersey.
He came through the ranks at Lazio but never made an appearance in the Italian top flight for the Biancocelesti. On loan to third-division side Pescara in 2023-24, and Juve Stabia in the second division during the 2024-25 season, he eventually joined Cremonese this summer. After scoring a winner against Cesena last December, some reports suggested Juve Stabia supporters celebrated with fascist salutes, a claim firmly rejected by the club.
When joining Cremonese, Floriani Mussolini remarked that he was here to play football, adding, My surname bothers other people more than me. This debut is not just a personal achievement for him but also a notable moment in sports history, carrying the weight of his family’s controversial legacy. Benito Mussolini founded the National Fascist Party in Italy and led the country from 1922 until his overthrow in 1943, before being captured and killed in 1945.
