The Expendables: Former Primavera Products That Found Success Outside of Roma

I can’t help it. I’m a fan of corny, cheesy action movies from the 1980s and early 1990s: Die Hard, Commando, Tango & Cash, Bloodsport, Hard Target, Red Heat, Beverly Hills Cop, The Terminator, Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, The Last Boy Scout, Above The Law, the list goes on and on.

That’s why I actually liked The Expendables and its three sequels. They were definitely my cup of tea. It was nice to see guys like Stallone, Arnold, Willis, Van Damme, Ford, Gibson, and even Chuck Norris kick ass at their advanced age and bring back those good old action movies from the past. And boy, how many nights did I pray for Jackie Chan and Steven Seagal to join the cast one day? Yeah, I’m a sucker for nostalgia.

So, who are these groups of expendables exactly? They’re a team of mercenaries, hitmen who are deemed... well, expendable. No one would miss them if they were gone. They do stuff other governments won’t even dare to touch, and their method isn’t really subtle or sophisticated. They do the dirty work on unofficial business. A pile of testosterone and a bunch of egos who (try to) work together. Sounds like a match made in heaven.

And what’s the link with AS Roma? Well, the last couple of years Roma’s had its own little group of ‘expendables’. Former Primavera youth players deemed ‘not good enough’ for the first team. Kids left town because they were not wanted, not part of the project anymore, or simply because Roma needed the money from their sales. So they moved on, joined other teams, and some even joined our rivals. Some of them became world beaters, others not so much.

Let’s examine a couple of these ‘expendable’ Roman products and see which actor from the famous movie franchise resembles them.

Riccardo Calafiori, aka Jason Statham:

OK, so why not start with the hottest expendable of them all? One of the younger guys but a prodigy. The present and future of the team. Ready to become a pillar, a natural-born leader, and not afraid to clean up the mess. It is a big loss for any company, corrupt government, or Serie A club.

Alessio Romagnoli, aka Mel Gibson:

A member of the older guard. A long time ago he was one of the good guys. Destined for greatness. But damn Alessio, why did you join the dark side after all those years? Now you’re just downright evil and persona non grata. Too bad it had to end this way.

Gianluca Scamacca, aka Dolph Lundgren:

Yeah, this one’s a bit crazy in the coconut, I think. A force of nature, tall, powerful. A bit selfish but, in the end, an important member of the team. It’s better to have him on your team than to fight against him. Just read his manual first before you meet the guy.

Davide Frattesi, aka Randy Couture:

Maybe not as empowered, skilled, or talented as other expendables, but nonetheless, a dependable and trustworthy member of the squad. A hard worker, your typical team player. Has been slowly working his way up the ladder and is now finally a big name. Ready to take on a bigger role.

Alessandro Florenzi, aka Sylvester Stallone

Ah, the golden oldie. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy. What you see is what you get. Once he was a leader, a captain, but now age has taken its toll. It’s time for a new generation, but we’ll be forever grateful for his contribution.

Matteo Politano, aka Arnold Schwarzenegger:

Another classic. His start as an expendable was a bit bumpy, but he totally redeemed himself. A more than decent addition and established value nowadays. Can’t really go wrong with this guy.

Luca Pellegrini, aka Van Damme:

This one was nasty. It left a bad taste in my mouth. He joined rivals twice (Juve and Lazio) and is now seen as one of the main villains from All Expendables.

Cristian Volpato, aka Glenn Powell:

Young, rising star. He is still working on his career as a major expendable but has all the tools to make it happen. Time will tell if he’ll earn his seat next to the other big names, but it's still a shame we had to let him go.

Federico Viviani, aka Mickey Rourke:

He was part of the expendables years ago. A lot has happened since then, and people have forgotten about him. Nobody knows what he’s doing now, which is sad because he was a promising member once.

Luca Mazzitelli, aka Wesley Snipes:

Now, that’s a name I hadn’t seen for a long time. But behind the scenes, he was working hard on his career, and his expendable stint has been a noteworthy success so far, albeit a bit short. Will we see more from him soon?

Andrea Bertolacci, aka Bruce Willis:

Few people fit the word ‘decent’ as this man. Although his career has slowly gone downhill in the last couple of years, in his prime, he was the perfect member of the expendables and an important piece of the puzzle.

Umar Sadiq, aka 50 Cent:

A recently turned expendable but has lately shown he has qualities and is ready when called upon. Delivers the goods but can he take it to the next level? Or will he remain a one-hit wonder?

Afena-Gyan, aka Liam Hemsworth:

He quickly rose to stardom but then faded away, maybe even faster. It looks like his career as an expendable is over before it truly began. This is a shame because he looked physically impressive for his young age.

Alberto Aquilani, aka Jet Li:

One of my favorite expendables of all time. A household name. Perhaps a bit fragile, but a true gem and class act. A magician on the field and an indispensable part of the team.

*I haven’t picked Chuck Norris out of fear. Apparently, Chuck Norris can beat the sun in a staring contest, and he doesn’t need to shave because his beard is scared to grow.

Of course, there are still a lot of expendables/players left we haven’t discussed here. So please feel free to name a few in the comment section below and, why not, some of your favorite nostalgic action flicks!