Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Bryan Cristante and Mario Hermoso earned places in WhoScored’s best XI for August after Roma opened the season with two dominant victories.
Roma’s outstanding start to the 2026/27 Serie A season has been recognized by WhoScored, with four Giallorossi players selected in the website’s Team of the Month for August.
Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Bryan Cristante and Mario Hermoso all made the XI after helping Roma defeat Fiorentina and Lecce by identical 4-0 scorelines.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s team ended August with six points, eight goals scored and none conceded.
Donyell Malen Receives Serie A’s Highest Rating
Malen led the entire Team of the Month with an average WhoScored rating of 9.08.
The Dutch striker scored five goals in only 135 minutes of Serie A football, beginning the season with a hat-trick against Fiorentina before adding two more goals in Roma’s victory at Lecce.
He therefore averaged one goal every 27 minutes during August and scored five of Roma’s opening eight league goals. His explosive start was also recognized at the Gran Galà del Calcio, where Malen expressed his desire to lead Roma.
WhoScored rating: 9.08
Appearances: 2
Minutes: 135
Goals: 5
Paulo Dybala Creates Roma’s Attack
Dybala received an average rating of 8.26 after playing a central role in both victories.
The Argentine supplied all three assists for Malen’s hat-trick against Fiorentina, producing a dominant creative performance at the Stadio Olimpico.
Dybala then helped Roma control the match at Lecce and remained influential until he was replaced late in the second half.
His partnership with Malen has already attracted praise from Francesco Totti, who described them as “two extraordinary players” and jokingly suggested that supporters could eventually replace photographs of Totti and Batistuta with Malen and Dybala.
WhoScored rating: 8.26
Appearances: 2
Assists: 3
Bryan Cristante Anchors the Midfield
Cristante earned a rating of 7.82 after completing every minute of Roma’s opening two league matches.
The midfielder captained Gasperini’s team against both Fiorentina and Lecce, helping Roma control possession and protect the defence.
Roma averaged 62.5% possession across the two victories and did not concede a goal, with Cristante providing balance between the defensive and attacking phases.
His performances underlined his importance to Gasperini after the experienced midfielder agreed to remain part of Roma’s historical core during the summer.
WhoScored rating: 7.82
Appearances: 2
Minutes: 180
Clean sheets: 2
Mario Hermoso Leads Roma’s Defensive Recognition
Hermoso completed Roma’s four-player representation with an average rating of 7.67.
The Spanish defender played 67 minutes against Fiorentina before completing the entire match at Lecce, giving him 157 league minutes during August.
His most important intervention at the Via del Mare came when he cleared a Lecce effort off the line, preserving Roma’s advantage before the Giallorossi completed their second consecutive clean sheet.
Hermoso was also rated as Roma’s best player in the 4-0 victory over Lecce, reflecting his influence at the back.
WhoScored rating: 7.67
Appearances: 2
Minutes: 157
Clean sheets: 2
Roma Dominate August’s Best XI
No club placed more players in WhoScored’s August Team of the Month than Roma.
The four selections demonstrate the balance behind Gasperini’s impressive start: Malen supplied the goals, Dybala created opportunities, Cristante controlled midfield and Hermoso helped protect a defence that did not concede.
Roma’s challenge will now be to maintain those standards as the schedule becomes more demanding, beginning with Atalanta before the club’s Champions League campaign opens against Fenerbahçe.
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