Video: Roma salute Ranieri retirement with his ‘last dance’ as legendary coach leaves at 73

epa12115307 Roma’s coach Claudio Ranieri greets supporters as he is honored after the Italian Serie A soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan, in Rome, Italy, 18 May 2025. EPA-EFE/ANGELO CARCONI

Roma have released a touching video marking Claudio Ranieri’s ‘last dance’ after coming out of retirement to help his beloved hometown club qualify for Europe. ‘Coach, it’s been a privilege.’

It was his third stint as coach of Roma after 2009-11 and briefly in 2019, but he had also grown up as a player in their youth academy before moving on in 1974.

Now Ranieri goes back into retirement and will still be working with the Giallorossi as a special advisor.

Ranieri’s Last Dance with Roma

“Here it is, the end. Expected, feared, frightening by its very nature, but totally natural coming from this man,” read the narration on the video.

“Greeted with a tear and accompanied by a smile, deceived with a joke and sent back to the sender of sad thoughts.

“Claudio Ranieri led the last dance as only he could, dictating the tempo, creating the steps, hearing the music when Rome had sunk into silence.

“Imagining hope when it seemed to have faded, riding the waves of joy, tempering the euphoria, and bringing the objectives that little bit closer.

“Ranieri’s gift to his club is Europe. It’s a future in which Roma can stand proud, and the gift for everyone is a piece of his secret: immensity lies in the small things, but you have to do them all, and do them well, showing respect for others and love for your people.”

The video also covered moments of Ranieri’s experience elsewhere, most notably the historic Premier League victory at Leicester City.

“From tomorrow we’ll remember this career that has traversed the history of cities and nations, that painted the colours of defeat and victory, of regret and redemption, of duty and pleasure, of the unexpected and the legendary.

“The starting point and eternal return of this incredible journey was with Roma. Coach, it’s been a privilege.

“So we say goodbye to a coach and we will keep hold of the man who until the end set us this example: don’t look at me, focus on my players. Don’t look back, look forward. Don’t cry tears of sadness, cry tears of joy.

“This story of ours is immensity.”

Ranieri ends an extraordinary career

The coach had already announced he was hanging up his whistle last summer following the march with Cagliari from Serie B to top flight safety.

He was convinced out of retirement to rescue Roma as their third coach of the campaign in November 2024, amassing 22 victories, seven draws and seven defeats in all competition.

It took them to fifth place and Europa League qualification, culminating in a beautiful tribute covering the entire Curva Sud of the Stadio Olimpico.