De Roon, a true Atalanta icon
Some stories go beyond numbers, but sometimes it’s the numbers that make them unforgettable. In the match against Hellas Verona, Marten de Roon cemented his place in Atalanta history: with 436 appearances, the Dutch midfielder is now La Dea’s all-time appearance record holder, surpassing former captain Gianpaolo Bellini, who made 435. This milestone not only highlights the captain’s consistency and dedication, but also the club’s evolution. De Roon’s record reflects a modern era filled with European football, a busier schedule, and an increasingly international presence that has raised Atalanta’s profile far beyond Bergamo.
From the Netherlands to Bergamo to join the revolution
After arriving in 2015 from Heerenveen on the initiative of Giovanni Sartori, Marten de Roon quickly established himself under Edy Reja as a key figure, finishing his first season with the most appearances in the team. After a spell in the Premier League with Middlesbrough, his return to Bergamo in 2017 coincided with the start of the revolution led by Gian Piero Gasperini. Almost ten years later, De Roon has become the most recognisable face of that transformation. Behind him, besides Bellini, the club’s all-time appearance ranking includes names that mark different eras of Atalanta’s history: Mario Pašalić (335), still his teammate; Valter Bonacina (331), a Bergamo-born midfielder who played for the Nerazzurri between 1986 and 1999; and Berat Djimsiti (326).
It’s a passing of the torch that also marks a generational relay: Bonacina handed it to Bellini, who in turn symbolically passed it to De Roon, the Dutchman making his debut in the legendary captain’s final season. One key difference: while his predecessors were Bergamo natives, De Roon is an “adopted Bergamasco,” a symbol of an Atalanta that is ever less provincial and increasingly European.
Leading Atalanta in Europe
De Roon’s appearance record is intertwined with the most ambitious and successful period in the club’s history. He has been at the heart of every stage of Atalanta’s growth at European level: 73 appearances in UEFA competitions, from the club’s first continental adventures to Champions League nights and the crowning achievement of the Gasperini era**: victory in the 2023/24 Europa League final** over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. It’s a journey that has transformed Atalanta from a team fighting for survival into a model of competitiveness and innovation in European football. And De Roon, more than anyone else, has been a driving force throughout.
Bergamo’s “Dam”: identity and belonging
If the numbers tell the story of greatness, it’s identity that explains the bond. De Roon is nicknamed “la Diga” (“the Dam”) by the fans for a reason: on the pitch, he perfectly embodies the Bergamo spirit: hard work, sacrifice, tactical discipline, and total dedication to the team. Never flashy, always serving the collective. His trajectory recalls that of another foreign icon of La Dea, the Swede Glenn Strömberg, who also arrived from Northern Europe and became a club legend. Two different eras, but the same ability to embody the spirit of the club and the city links the Dutchman to Strömberg, who was nicknamed the “captain of captains”.
A club legend in modern football
In an era when long careers at a single club are increasingly rare, De Roon rightly takes his place among the great flagbearers of Serie A, joining the elite group of foreign players to have amassed so many appearances with a single team – like Javier Zanetti (615) and Samir Handanović (380) with Inter, Marek Hamšík (408) with Napoli, and Stephan Radu (349) with Lazio. Membership in this exclusive club highlights Marten’s excellence and consistency at the top level.
Born on 29 March 1991, De Roon, now 35, is still a key figure for La Dea. Over the years, he has shared midfield duties with a variety of players – from Migliaccio and Cigarini to Cristante, Pašalić, and Ederson – but his most iconic partnership remains the one he formed with Remo Freuler, his inseparable teammate through every stage of Atalanta’s rise, from Reja to Gasperini. Today, under the guidance of Raffaele Palladino, he continues to lead the team with the same authority. His influence extends beyond the pitch: he’s the guardian of the club’s identity, a bridge between past and future, and a torchbearer, looking for the next player to carry on Atalanta’s enduring legacy.