Floriani Mussolini, great-grandson of the dictator Benito, scored the first goal in Serie A

Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, scored his first Serie A goal for Lazio in a 6-2 win over Sassuolo on Tuesday 27 October. The 23-year-old defender found the net in the 16th minute to put Lazio 3-1 up as Gennaro Gattusa moved to the top of the Serie A table for the season.

Floriani Mussolini’s goal came after Kenneth Taylor had put Lazio ahead early and Gustav Isaksen restored their advantage after Josip Sutal’s own goal equalised. The defender’s strike was initially ruled offside, but a video review overturned the decision, allowing him to register his first goal in Italy’s top flight.

Lazio secured a comfortable victory as Mattia Zaccagni scored before half-time and Tijjani Noslin added two goals in the second half. Sassuolo’s task became more difficult after Kristian Thorstvedt was sent off for a foul on Zaccagni shortly after half an hour.

The result left Lazio on 25 points from nine games, with eight wins and one draw, three points ahead of Inter Milan, who were due to visit bottom side Venice on Wednesday. Roma were third with 23 points after beating Cagliari 4-2, while Como moved up to fourth after a 3-1 win in Turin.

WHO IS FLORIANI MUSSOLINI?

For Floriani Mussolini, however, the goal was a personal milestone in a career that attracted attention beyond football. He is the great-grandson of Benito Mussolini, who ruled Italy as a fascist dictator from 1922 to 1943.

His mother, Alessandra Mussolini, is an actress turned politician, while his grandfather, Romano Mussolini, was a jazz pianist. His great aunt is the famous Italian actress Sophia Loren. The family connection has made the young defender a subject of interest in Italian football, where his surname carries considerable historical weight.

Born in Rome on January 27, 2003, Floriani Mussolini began his football journey in the Roma youth system before moving to city rivals Lazio in 2016. He progressed through Lazio’s academy and signed his first professional contract with the club in 2021.

The right-back subsequently moved away from Lazio to gain senior experience. He joined Pescara in the 2023–24 season, playing in Serie C before moving to Juve Stabia in Serie B the following campaign. At Juve Stabia, he scored his first senior goal and established himself as a regular, making over 30 appearances.

He joined Cremonese on loan in July 2025 and made his Serie A debut during the 2025–26 season. He made 28 league appearances before returning to Lazio for the 2026-27 campaign, looking to establish himself at the club where he developed as a young player.

His goal against Sassuolo marked the next step in that progression. While he is still working to secure a regular spot in Lazio’s first team, scoring in a convincing league win offered the defender an opportunity to establish himself on the pitch.

A FAMILY NAME THAT ATTRACTS ATTENTION

The family name of Floriani Mussolini accompanied him throughout his football career. Benito Mussolini’s legacy remains deeply controversial in Italy due to the Fascist regime, its repression, and the country’s involvement in World War II.

The defender has attracted attention for incidents involving chanting from fans and alleged fascist gestures at matches. His surname has subsequently become a recurring subject of media coverage whenever he appears for Lazio or their opponents.

Floriani Mussolini said he was not interested in politics and wanted to concentrate on football. Rather than his full last name, he wears “Romano” on the back of his shirt and keeps his first name front and center as he pursues his career.

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