Background
Di Tommaso was born in Échirolles, Isère. His father Pascal Di Tommaso and uncle Louis Di Tommaso both played in Ligue 2 for Grenoble Foot 38 in the 1980s.
Di Tommaso was born in Échirolles, Isère. His father Pascal Di Tommaso and uncle Louis Di Tommaso both played in Ligue 2 for Grenoble Foot 38 in the 1980s.
He then played in the Union of European Football Associations Champions League and was selected for the French national youth football team In 2001, di Tommaso transferred to Sedan, which sold him to Dutch side Football Club Utrecht in 2004. In his first season there, the fans named him the club"s player of the year.
Di Tommaso died after a cardiac arrest in his sleep at the age of 26 in De Meern, Netherlands.
On December 1, a meeting of supporters at Stadion Galgenwaard was held, to honour Di Tommaso (DiTo for short). At least 14,000 fans showed up.
Among the speakers were chairman January Willem van Dop, coach Foeke Booy and captain Jean-Paul de Jong. Besides Di Tommaso"s relatives and Football Club Utrecht"s main squad, all of the clubs" youth teams were among the visitors.
They were told that number 4, the number worn by Di Tommaso, would be retired from use.
Sedan, Di Tommaso"s former club, had already announced that number 29, the number Di Tommaso used when he played for the club, would be retired. Since 2006, Football Club Utrecht"s player of the year award is called the Di Tommaso trophy in honour of David Di Tommaso. The trophy is voted for by the fans.