Daniele De Rossi reveals the warning that prompted him to get sent off for elbowing Brian McBride in the 2006 World Cup. ‘I was a bit too ready.’
Now a member of Roberto Mancini’s staff for Euro 2020, De Rossi was in the squad that won the 2006 World Cup for Italy.
However, he didn’t play many of the games, as he was sent off in the 1-1 draw with the USA and received a lengthy ban.
Leaping with elbow up, he caught McBride hard on the face and left him bleeding heavily.
When speaking to documentary series Sogno Azzurro for RAI 1, the now retired midfielder gave some new background to that incident.
“I’ve never revealed this before, but the day before the game, we had the video session with Marcello Lippi’s assistants and analysts,” explained De Rossi.
“They described to us for a good 30-60 seconds just about this player, McBride. Be wary of McBride, he jumps with his elbows raised, he’s really tough, he’ll try to elbow you out of the way, so be ready for him.
“Well, I was a bit too ready for him…”