For Francesco Totti, the dream has always been to represent his beloved Roma for as long as possible. In a recent interview with GQ, Totti openly addressed his fear of retirement and how it will spell the end of a dream that has spanned the best part of two decades.
“It will mean the end of a dream that I’ve been living for 20 years. I daren’t even imagine the reaction of the fans. I know that the moment is getting closer,” reflected a sombre Totti. In a world replete with demigods created and elevated behind keyboards, Totti truly is a god among men.
Roma has never known another son like him; his loyalty is known and revered throughout the football world having famously turned down a move to Real Madrid in the prime of his career. No doubt he would have won many more trophies in Spain, and maybe even cemented his status as one of the all-time greats, but for him, winning only meant anything if it was with Roma.
Throughout his club career, Totti has collected a single Serie A medal as well as a couple of Coppa Italias and Supercoppa Italianas; a modest return for a footballer of such exquisite talent. When you consider his teammates past and present, it is a wonder how Roma did not win more titles. Gabriel Batistuta, Marco Delvecchio, Vicenzo Montella, Aldair, Cafu, Walter Samuel. The names of supremely talented individuals to have represented the Giallorossi roll off the tongue effortlessly, like one of Totti’s glorious backheels. But since winning the Scudetto in 2001, Roma have finished as runners-up on eight occasions.
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Perhaps things would have been different had the eccentric Antonio Cassano prolonged his stay in Rome. The duo struck up an understanding that tied in with their seamless play, with flicks and tricks a regular part of their routine. The fantastic Chiesa Di Totti blog brilliantly highlights the role Cassano played in a fruitful partnership with Totti, that further serves to perpetuate the series of what ifs that can be applied to the club career of Rome’s favourite son.
A gifted player blessed with vision and flair, Totti has a special affinity with the chip, a technique he used so regularly that it ended up in the title of his autobiography. Many a goalkeeper would fall victim to his deft touch, most notably Júlio César in the 2005/06 season. Picking up the ball in his own half, Totti effortlessly eluded two defenders before bearing down on goal. With Totti getting nearer and nearer, the Inter custodian did what any good keeper would do, coming off his line slightly to narrow the angle for the shot. But where one door closes, another one opens, and in a split second, Totti nonchalantly served up a delicious chip that McDonald’s would be proud of, with the ball arcing over the hapless César from 20 yards out, leaving him clutching at thin air. The prince of Rome lapped up the adulation from the away fans. It was a goal only Totti could score, and was voted the best goal of the season.
Could Totti have made the grade abroad? Real Madrid certainly thought so, and in a league that cherishes technical players above all else, Totti would have been a global superstar. Florentino Perez openly admits his regret for failing to persuade Totti to join the Galacticos in 2004. High praise indeed. It speaks volumes of the high regard that Madrid held him in, especially after having failed to shine for Italy at Euro 2004. But for Totti, Roma took precedence over all. His brutal honesty outlines just how close he came to leaving Rome.
“I was close to joining Real. I wanted a big team in order to win, and during that time the club’s management could not give me everything I wanted. But in the end, luckily, my heart chose to stay in Rome. Here when everything goes well it’s as if I were the Pope. The love that Rome gives you is something no other city can. If I were to leave Roma, I would go play abroad and not for another Italian club. But I will grow old with this same shirt.”
“I would’ve had more opportunities, that is beyond doubt, but I am happy with my choices. The only regret is that we could’ve won two or three more Scudetti with Roma.”
Not exactly words of a footballer angling for a move. Then again, Rome has always been home for Totti, even if he has not won as many trophies as he would like. The lack of appearances in the business end of the Champions League also meant that for many, Totti was essentially a non-factor when considering the best players in the world. Never mind his 142 league assists. Never mind his 235 league goals for Roma. Never mind that over 100 of those league goals came after he turned 30. The saying “history only remembers the winners” certainly rings true when considering the career of Totti.
Perhaps if Euro 2000 had gone the way of Italy, Totti would be more appreciated in greater football circles than he is today. In the final against France, Totti put on a masterclass, seemingly covering the entire pitch and spraying balls in all directions to teammates out wide or up front, creating chance after chance which more often than not were squandered. He also played a vital role in Italy’s goal, playing a backheel reverse pass that took out two defenders, leaving Gianluca Pessotto with all the time in the world to whip in a cross that was tapped in by Delvecchio. Alas, his Herculean effort would be for nought as Sylvain Wiltord equalised deep into injury time before David Trezeguet broke Italian hearts with his golden goal. For Totti, the Man of the Match award and being named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament was scant consolation.
Two subsequent international flops would follow, as Italy crashed out of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 early on, with Totti making little impact. Prior to the 2006 World Cup, a broken ankle ruled him out for three months, threatening to rule him out of Italy’s campaign before it began. For Marcelo Lippi, this was not an acceptable scenario and promptly visited Totti after his surgery.
“You’re going to the World Cup, even just on one leg.”
Galvanised by the faith placed in him, Totti would go on to make the World Cup squad and played a pivotal role, scoring a last-minute penalty to eliminate Australia, while recording four assists, the most of any player in the tournament, including the revered Andrea Pirlo. Although failing to make an impact in the final, Totti was named in FIFA’s All-Star Team, finally pairing up international recognition with a winner’s medal.
Although he retired from the Azzurri in 2007, he would declare himself available if called up for the 2010 World Cup. Lippi chose not to, and Italy finished last in their group, crashing out at the group stage after failing to win a single game.
In the build-up to the 2014 World Cup, Cesare Prandelli declared that he would definitely consider Totti for the Italian squad. He would miss much of the season with injury, but Totti would recover to finish the season with the joint highest assists tally in Serie A. Despite his impressive tally, he would miss out on a place in Italy’s squad for the second consecutive tournament as Prandelli opted for youth over experience. Italy would go on to exit the tournament at the group stage again, losing to the might of Costa Rica and Uruguay.
Would the presence of Totti inspired Italy to deeper runs in both tournaments? Debatable. Would Totti have made a difference? Most definitely.
But for Totti, becoming a cult hero to Romanistas the world over has always been enough for him. As a fan himself, he is well aware that he is living the dream. When asked why he had not left for another team to win more trophies, he simply replied “I grew up playing for Roma and I want to die playing for Roma, because I have always been a Roma fan.”
He may be underrated by the wider football world, but to those in it, his talent is unquestioned. A simple glance at Totti’s Wikiquote page show how revered the man is amongst players and coaches. A rich man’s Paul Scholes if you like.
Enjoy him while he lasts folks; we may never see the likes of him again.
This article originally appeared on The Rabona, and you can read more here or follow them on Facebook on Twitter.