Could the best pizza at Messi's South Florida soccer matches come from Delray Beach?

Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post
Updated ·4 min read
3

Setting up his mobile pizzeria outside DRV PNK Stadium on Friday, July 21, Marcelo Rossano said his crew was excited, but definitely had their work cut out for them.

Working the sold-out game, in an atmosphere that was pretty much wild with Lionel Messi fever, Delray Beach-based Rossanos Pizza rose to the occasion and sold over 400 pies during Inter Miami CF's 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul.

Though it's tough to stand out in the midst of Messi fever (and maybe impossible during a team win for Inter Miami CF in Messi's first game in which he scored the winning goal), Rossano's Pizza was pretty hard to miss.

Not only is the 26-foot converted Airstream trailer itself beautiful, but it is also adorned with neon lights and a huge painting of another Argentinian soccer legend, Diego Maradona.

More: Soccer megastar Lionel Messi looking for homes in Boca Raton, Delray Beach

Marcelo Rossano holds two pizzas inside his converted 26-foot Airstream. Though he only started out in the pizza business a few years ago, Rossano has developed an impressive following. That following has jumped up even more now that he sells pizzas outside DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale during Inter Miami CF's home games. With Messi madness in full swing and the games selling out, Rossano said they sold over 400 pizzas during the home opener on July 21.

Rossano said he normally offers more than a dozen pizza options, but streamlined the menu outside of the match in order to keep up with the tidal wave of customers.

He said that they offered four pizza varieties, but two of them became his culinary stars — and for good reason: They were designed in honor of Messi and Maradona.

The Messi pizza is a play on a classic Argentinian pizza called "fugazetta," but renamed the "Fugamecci." It is a white pizza featuring caramelized onions, green olives, provolone, mozzarella and oregano.

The "Maradona" features San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, cooked ham, red bell peppers, green olives and oregano.

Both the "Fugamecci" and "Maradona" are available only during Inter Miami CF games.

Marcelo Rossano poses at the window of his converted 26-foot Airstream trailer. His original trailer was only nine feet long inside.
Marcelo Rossano poses at the window of his converted 26-foot Airstream trailer. His original trailer was only nine feet long inside.

Rossano, who played the sport throughout his youth, says he's more than a soccer fan: "Football runs in my veins."

That painting of Maradona on the side of his trailer is no paint-by-numbers or decal either. It was done by famed Argentinian artist Maximiliano Bagnasco. Yes, the same Bagnasco who recently painted a massive, multi-story picture of Lionel Messi in Miami's Wynwood District.

Rossano said he reached out to the artist in 2020 via Instagram to see about getting a painting done. He eventually met Bagnasco at Art Basil Miami in 2021, where the artist was doing a gallery and the two became friends.

A mural of Inter Miami CF superstar soccer player Lionel Messi in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami was done by famed Argentinian artist Maximiliano Bagnasco.
A mural of Inter Miami CF superstar soccer player Lionel Messi in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami was done by famed Argentinian artist Maximiliano Bagnasco.

More: Inter Miami's Lionel Messi's "Messi Chicken Sandwich" makes South Florida debut

The trailer's mural is such a draw that Rossano said there are times when two lines form in its shadow, one to order pizza and one to look at the Bagnasco painting of Maradona.

Rossano has faced his share of trials on the road to this success.

Born in Uruguay and of Italian descent (his grandparents were from the Calabria and Naples areas), Rossano said he first moved to the United States in the early 2000s and started out in Boston. He liked the area, but the winters and distance to the nearest beach, eventually led him to move to Delray Beach.

He said when the pandemic hit the restaurant he was managing closed and his wife's job in the cruise industry disappeared as well.

Be it good luck or an intervention of fate, his sister then gifted him a small pizza oven. He began crafting pies for family and friends and fell in love with making pizzas. He spent months working on recipes and honing his craft.

Eventually he invested in a large mixer, allowing him to make a big batch of dough, a "whole bunch of pizzas." He gave them to his neighbors and they were blown away, he said.

The pizzeria's namesake pie the Rossano has San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, arugula ,prosciutto di parma and burrata.
The pizzeria's namesake pie the Rossano has San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, arugula ,prosciutto di parma and burrata.

In 2020, he made the leap to the professional pizza ranks, buying a small U-Haul trailer and converting it into a mobile pizzeria with two pizza ovens. Unfortunately, after only four months in operation, a drunk driver hit and destroyed the trailer.

What could've been another set back turned into a gift, when the community rallied around Rossano and helped him set up a GoFundMe page that allowed him to buy the Airstream from which he now operates.

The Airstream will be at all Inter Miami CF home games at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Rossano promises.

The rest of the time, it can be found at Hopportunities: Craft Beer and Wine Hall in Delray Beach on Wednesdays through Sundays.

Rossanos Pizza at Hopportunities

Rossanos Pizza operates out of a converted 26-foot Airstream trailer. The image of legendary Argentinian soccer player Diego Maradona was done by artist Maximiliano Bagnasco. Bagnasco recently completed a massive mural of Lionel Messi in the Wynwood District in Miami. The world famous player now plays for Inter Miami CF.
Rossanos Pizza operates out of a converted 26-foot Airstream trailer. The image of legendary Argentinian soccer player Diego Maradona was done by artist Maximiliano Bagnasco. Bagnasco recently completed a massive mural of Lionel Messi in the Wynwood District in Miami. The world famous player now plays for Inter Miami CF.

When: Wednesdays through Sundays

Where: 440 NE 5th Ave., Delray Beach

For more information: Check the Hopportunities website

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best pizza at Inter Miami Lionel Messi soccer games: Rossanos Pizza

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