Roma fans in attendance at Watford to celebrate Bove’s first goal since 2024 | OneFootball

Roma supporters were in attendance for Watford’s 3-1 victory over Wrexham in the EFL Championship to watch Edoardo Bove score his first goal since suffering a cardiac arrest on Wednesday night: ‘Even if you leave Rome, you won’t be alone’.

Bove back amongst the goals for the first time since 2024: ‘It wasn’t like that in my dreams!’

Bove is back to doing what he loves best after netting in the 94th minute to seal a 3-1 victory for his new club, Watford, over Championship promotion hopefuls Wrexham on Tuesday evening.

This was Bove’s first competitive goal since October 2024, when he scored in a thumping 5-1 victory for Fiorentina against his boyhood club, Roma.

Fiorentina’s midfielder Edoardo Bove celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match ACF Fiorentina vs AS Roma at Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, 27 October 2024. EPA-EFE/CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI

Not long after that, Bove collapsed on the pitch early on in a Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter, and it was later confirmed that he had suffered a cardiac arrest. Bove later had an internal defibrillator device fitted, which prevents him from playing professionally in Italy, but does not prohibit him from playing in the UK.

This was a situation similar to the one that involved Christian Eriksen, who joined Brentford and later Manchester United after leaving Inter shortly after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at EURO 2020.

Despite spending over a year out of action, assessing his next steps after learning that a return to action in Serie A would not be possible, Bove joined Championship side Watford as a free agent in January.

He has since gone on to make six substitute appearances for the Hornets, and on Wednesday night, grabbed his first goal in England during a 3-1 victory over Wrexham at Vicarage Road.

“I had a lot of time to think about my first goal when I was coming back. To be honest, it wasn’t like this, as it was an easy one! In my dreams it was in the top corner,” Bove joked after full-time.

“But the celebration was unbelievable. I went directly to the fans and I’m so happy for the team who have supported me, and all the staff, physios and doctors who have been watching my situation carefully and trying to do their best to get me on the pitch.

“I’m so happy this happened today and I’m looking forward to what’s next.

To make the occasion extra special for Bove, he was being cheered on by a large section of UK-based Roma supporters, who held up Giallorossi scarfs and a banner that read: ‘Even if you leave Rome, you won’t be alone’.