GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
As Daniele De Rossi prepares to head to Argentina on his 36th birthday to sign for Boca Juniors, the reality that he is no longer a Roma player is really beginning to hit home - if it hadn't already.
De Rossi's exit from his hometown club meant that, despite being second on the list of all-time appearances, he would never get the chance to win a Serie A title with Roma - a cruel fate that has also met several of the club's biggest legends. Here are just 10 of the players whose great service to Roma sadly never culminated in a league title. Giacomo Losi De Rossi shares a feat with Francesco Totti, who of course did win Serie A with Roma, that no-one else can match - that of making more appearances for the club than Giacomo Losi. Representing no other team in Serie A, defender Losi featured for Roma on an impressive 455 occasions. He remains the only captain to have lifted a European trophy with Roma - the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1961 - but was never able to add the Italian title to his medal collection. Fulvio Bernardini Long before even Losi, Bernardini was a player whose contribution to Roma was so great that their training ground is named after him to this day. Joining the club in 1928, a year after their foundation, the midfielder was undoubtedly one of the best of his generation, playing his part in laying the groundworks for Roma to become serious challengers, but he dropped down to Serie C to close out his career three years before Roma won their first ever Scudetto. Pedro Manfredini One of the key players in the Fairs Cup triumph, having been the tournament's top scorer that year, Manfredini was one of the most clinical strikers in Roma's history. No foreign player scored more goals for the club than the Argentine, who had a phenomenal goals-to-games ratio - but like his teammate Losi, he couldn't clinch Scudetto honours during his time in Rome. Rodolfo Volk Another great striker from an earlier era, Volk holds several impressive records for Roma. As the first ever goalscorer in the Derby Della Capitale and the first player to reach 100 goals for the club, his place in history is assured. However, his five-year stint in Rome ended without a trophy. Francesco Rocca One of the first players to be inducted into the Roma Hall of Fame, Rocca was a one-club man who, despite only scoring two goals in his career, will always be remembered by the Giallorossi faithful for his loyalty. Roma's left-back of the 1970s brushed shoulders with many members of the squad that would conquer Italy in 1983, but he had retired before he could have been a part of that glorious triumph. Sergio Santarini Santarini left Roma in the same year as Rocca (1981), and was a player who had similar longevity with the club. The defender played for the Lupi across three decades, having joined in the late 1960s, and won three Coppe Italia with the club; however, just like his teammate, the league title eluded him. Alcides Ghiggia The legendary winger, who scored the winning goal for Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final, was one of Roma's most gifted players in the 1950s and 60s. He made more than 200 appeareances, with the crowning glory of his time in Italy being the Fairs Cup triumph he was a part of alongside Losi and Manfredini. The year after he left Roma, he finally won Serie A with AC Milan - although he only played a bit part role. Toninho Cerezo One of the players added to the squad after the Scudetto was won in 1983, it was hoped that Cerezo could help inspire an age of dominance for Roma. He played a big part in the Giallorossi's quest to the final of the European Cup in his first year, only for his new side to be beaten by Liverpool. Like Ghiggia, he managed to win a league title elsewhere after leaving Roma, with Sampdoria in 1991 - although he was once again a beaten finalist in the European Cup the following season. Pierino Prati One of the legendary Nils Liedholm's first signings at Roma in 1973, Prati was hoping to replicate the success he had had at Milan, where he had won the Scudetto in 1968. Despite his optimal goalscoring record in the 1974-75 season, Roma only came third that year - and it turned out to be his highest league finish with the club. He had retired by the time his former coach Liedholm guided Roma to the title in the 1980s. Rudi Voller A striker of international quality, Germany legend Voller was Roma's top scorer in three of his five years in Italy. Unfortunately, that stint came in something of a bridging period between Roma's two most recent league titles. Joining in 1987 for Liedholm's last full season in charge, it was the end of an era as Voller lent his talents to the Lupi. After scoring 68 goals for the club, Voller left Roma in 1992, the year before a certain Francesco Totti made his debut - signalling the start of a new journey that would reach its pinnacle almost a decade on, with the club's third league title coming in the 2000-01 campaign.
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It would be hard to find a more hated man at Roma than Franco Baldini at present.
The former sporting director, turned advisor to president James Pallotta, has drawn the wrath of fans due to his influence in the decision not to reward Daniele De Rossi with a new contract, while he was also called out by Francesco Totti in all but name when the Roma legend announced his resignation from his role as a director. "You can't have too many people sticking their oar in and causing chaos," Totti ranted. "Everyone should do their own job and leave the others to get on with their own work, that'd allow everything to run smoothly. "You can do all the talking you want from Trigoria, but the last word will always come from London." While members of the club hierarchy confirmed that Baldini no longer had an official role with the club, it was clear for all to see that he was still pulling the strings, abusing his close ties with Pallotta to overturn the wishes of others within the club. New sporting director Gianluca Petrachi, however, insisted that he would not let Baldini overpower him when he spoke to the press for the first time. "I want everyone here to understand that Franco Baldini won't be influencing my decisions or telling me what to do," he insisted, "because before joining this club, I said quite clearly: 'If you want me, this is who I am; otherwise, you've got the wrong guy'." A breath of fresh air, no doubt, for the fans who had grown so tired, frustrated and angry at Baldini's opinion being taken more seriously than anyone else's. The strong-willed Petrachi admitted, however, that Baldini could still be an asset. "But Franco Baldini can be resource for me. He has an in-depth knowledge of the game and he's done my job before. He knows the difficulties and problems I face. "If Franco Baldini calls me tonight, as he's done in recent days and weeks, and says, 'There's the chance to get this player', if he knows the right channels to go down, and if he's the right sort of player, I'll tell him to go ahead and then I'll speak to whoever I have to speak to. That's the sort of collaboration there should be between a consultant and a sporting director. I can assure you that if the opposite were to happen, then I wouldn't be sitting here." Not even a week on, and Baldini is already back in the news. However, this time, he could actually be doing Roma a favour. According to La Stampa's Matteo De Santis, Baldini will meet with Tottenham Hotspur - another club with whom he has a tarnished reputation, having overseen the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid before re-investing the money poorly - to discuss the possibility of Roma signing Toby Alderweireld on Friday. The Belgian centre-back has excelled in his five seasons in the Premier League - initially at Southampton, and then at Spurs. One of the best defenders in the division, he has frequently been linked with a move to bigger clubs such as Manchester United, with his £25m (€27.8m) release clause looking more than appealing in the current market. Far from just being a replacement for Kostas Manolas, Alderweireld would be a definitive upgrade over the Greek, who recently departed for Napoli. A much more solid player who is also better on the ball, his 30 years of age should be no concern. Roma need players of his quality now. If Baldini was successful in his attempts to bring Alderweireld to Roma, how far would that go towards changing the general perception of him? It will take a long time for him to rebuild the bridges he burnt by playing a role in pushing Totti and De Rossi out of the club, but, if he's not going to go away, then this would be an ideal first step on a difficult road to redemption. If any deal included Nicolo Zaniolo going the other way, then it may feel like going back to square one, but realistically, it's important not to get too carried away by the young midfielder. His first season was inconsistent, and Roma may never get these kinds of offers for him again. Alderweireld would be more important to this team right now. Without Champions League football next season, Roma shouldn't really be able to compete for a player of such quality. But if Baldini can make it possible, it would be a coup. Adding Alderweireld could be the remedy he needs. This is exactly the kind of deal that Petrachi was talking about: Baldini has his contacts, and if they can help him benefit Roma, then he could be useful after all. He might just be able to give them a few leads on players that can bolster the quality of the squad. But it would just be one step, and a far from certain one at that. In reality, it will likely take more than just Alderweireld to heal the wounds that Baldini has inflicted on the supporters recently. This was not how to treat a legend.
Whether you agree with everything that Francesco Totti said at his explosive farewell press conference yesterday or not, the one thing that is clear is that he has been shown a distinct lack of respect. Both in his final years as a player - when he was still making an impact, even if it was usually from the bench - and in his two years as a director. Totti has been tossed aside, neglected, forgotten about - just like his former teammate Daniele De Rossi was this past season. After a 30-year connection with the club, turning down lucrative offers from more successful sides, he deserved to have at least a fraction of that loyalty repaid by being taken seriously. Yes, some of what Totti said wasn't the full picture. For example, his claim that the directors only told him he'd be retiring as a player "two rounds before the end" is wide of the mark; there is clear evidence to show that 2016-17 had been confirmed as his last season with Roma. But the vast majority of everything else he said is believable. It was already known that Totti personally chose Claudio Ranieri as Roma's interim coach when Eusebio Di Francesco was dismissed in March. That was the best decision made by anyone at the club last season. Ranieri was exactly what Roma needed at that moment in time, and got them looking up the table again, rather than over their shoulders. That was Totti's sign that he could make good technical decisions. So why was his input not asked for more? In the transfer market, he said he would have signed Hakim Ziyech instead of Javier Pastore. Hindsight is easy, but who wouldn't have? Let's be quite clear here: from the beginning, everyone knew Pastore wouldn't fit in. Ziyech had the season of his life. Maybe Totti should have accepted the role offered to him for one year, to see how things changed when given the new title. Being a technical director may have allowed him to make more important decisions like these. Maybe. Perhaps it was just another illusory title to make the people believe he was involved to the extent that he should have been, when it was really other people pulling the strings. Franco Baldini. Where does he go from here? He was already the most hated man in Rome - or, more precisely, London - before this, but Totti's comments, no matter how often he tried to insist there was no bad blood between them, were indicting. Baldini doesn't even have an official title, but is clearly calling the shots. This was a man who was essential in putting the Roma side together that last won Serie A in 2001. The man who signed Gabriel Batistuta, Emerson and Walter Samuel - all key players in that glorious season. Now his reputation is in tatters. And what have Roma got to show for his decision making? It will be a long time before they are competing for that crown again. James Pallotta will stay put. No matter how many times the fans tell him to 'Go Home' - an ironic statement, given that one of the main criticisms of the president is that he is never present in Rome - Pallotta remains convinced that he will see through his project. Is that project to build a successful team, or just a stadium? It was thought that the latter would help the former, but after eight years of setbacks, his patience must have been tested. But as seen in the statement that Roma released to respond to Totti's comments - notably unsigned, perhaps trying to use the power of the name of the whole club to turn things against the ex-captain - Pallotta has no intention of walking away. Figuratively, of course. That statement, if anything, helped Totti's case more than the powers that be at the club. It painted a picture of him as a trouble-causer, which he is exactly what he complained about at his press conference. Maybe, to some extent, he is. We saw it on the pitch sometimes. But he made up for it with his skill and good judgement; why couldn't he as a director? Whatever he has done has been with the best interests of Roma at heart. If that needs honesty, then that's what he'll give. Just like Ranieri did before he departed - but to an even bigger degree. Now, no longer a part of the formula after 30 years, Totti is at an incredibly low point. "This is far worse than retiring as a player," he confessed. "I feel like it'd be better if I died." Have the club learnt nothing from Agostino Di Bartolomei? Yes, he played in a different time, under a different owner, but Roma's lack of contact with him post-retirement was one of the many factors that led to him taking his own life at the age of 39, and it was a lesson that had to be learnt from. He did not receive the support he needed, and, in a story with a different conclusion, but one that is sad in its own way, neither has Totti. The transition from playing to being a director is a tough one, especially for a bandiera. After so many years of putting on the same shirt in the same changing room, at the same stadium, suddenly not being a part of the action on matchday must bring all kinds of emotions. It's a process that players need supporting through; they are people, after all, and while they are expected to perform like machines on the pitch, they have their own feelings off it too. Perhaps that's a role that the club should create - a person to oversee players making that transition into retirement. It would help them feel more involved, wanted - not cast aside like Totti has been. Because legends deserve a respect that goes beyond appreciation of what they did on the pitch. Waking up on 18th June, 2019, has been a strange feeling for all Romanisti. It's the first full day in which Francesco Totti has not been employed by Roma this century. For some, it will be the first day in their lives in which that has been the case. Those fans, of all ages, remain at his side though, willing to show him the love and support that their club - his club - have so clearly failed to do. Yesterday, a team comprised of Roma legends drew 5-5 in a charity match with a team of Formula E drivers at Stadio Tre Fontane.
Among the headline acts for the Giallorossi were Simone Perrotta, Marco Delvecchio and Vincent Candela, while for the opposition, ex-Formula 1 stars Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella (himself a Roma fan) were involved. The main attraction, of course, was the chance to see Francesco Totti on the pitch again, and Il Capitano played all 90 minutes, understandably in second gear, as he demonstrated his range of skills, nutmegs and long-range passes. Even if he laughed about not getting on the scoresheet, the number 10 showed that he hasn't lost his footballing brain, and likely never will. But perhaps there was a sight to behold on that pitch even more valuable than being able to see Totti play. For Romanisti of a certain generation, it gave them their first chance to see an all-time great in Bruno Conti in action. Whilst my receding hairline indicates otherwise, I'm not old enough to have lived through Conti's playing days. However, having watched highlights videos of his great skills and goals on YouTube, and reading about his importance to the Giallorossi side that won the Scudetto in 1983, I have gained a huge admiration of the former Italy ace. If I had the chance to travel back in time to see any former Roma player in his prime, it would be him. His magnetic control of the ball, shooting technique and Roman passion, forming such a big part of Roma's heyday in the early 1980s, must have been great to witness first-hand. Thanks to that Legends match, I no longer have to dream about being able to watch Conti play. For the first time in my life, I was able to see him play in a match as it happened. Sure, it may have been through a computer screen, and it certainly wasn't him in his prime, but it was something valuable to all Romanisti, that I never thought I'd be able to witness. And what a joy it was to watch. Somehow, at the age of 64, Conti moved about the pitch easier than men 20 years younger than him. Always on his toes and with a smile on his face, he epitomised what football, at its most simple level, is all about. And, unlike many of his teammates, he actually took the game pretty seriously. There were skills, impressive touches, ambitious long-range shots... Conti was relishing every minute of being back in that Roma shirt. Every time he touched the ball brought a smile, laugh or a cheer. There was almost something surreal about it. Here he was, one of the best players in the club's history, kicking a ball about nearly 30 years after he retired, making fools of people a generation younger than him. He was loving the experience, and so were the crowd. I'll never be able to see Conti play live, in his prime, but watching him in the Legends match was the next best thing. He remains a symbol of Roma's glory days, one of the most recognisable faces to have represented the club. He's a player that every Roma fan, young or old, should appreciate, and yesterday, for one more time, there was the opportunity to do just that.
On Saturday 23rd February, 2019, Daniele De Rossi wore the Roma captain's armband for the 200th time.
Roma ran out 3-2 winners over Frosinone thanks to a late Edin Dzeko goal. The reverse fixture back in September had been De Rossi's 600th game for the club, and once again, a match against Frosinone was a significant occasion for the Rome-born defensive midfielder. It marked another impressive milestone for the club legend, who stands second in the Giallorossi's all-time appearance charts. De Rossi has dedicated his entire career to Roma, and for most of that time, he has been a crucial part of the team's leadership hierarchy. De Rossi's performance against Frosinone was far from his best. However, he did play a pivotal role in the winning goal, sending a superb long ball over the top with his weaker left foot, which went right into Stephan El Shaarawy's path. The winger crossed for Dzeko, who bundled it home. Even when he has been off the pace, De Rossi can still find a way to inspire his team to much-needed victory. He is a born winner and refuses to give up. That's what has made him such a great leader over the years. De Rossi's achievement of wearing the armband 200 times is even more remarkable considering he has only technically been the official club captain for one-and-a-half seasons now. The presence of Francesco Totti in the team meant that, despite De Rossi's strong leadership characteristics, he was always, naturally, second in command. Given the nickname of 'Capitan Futuro' long before he assumed the role of captain, De Rossi was always the go-to man when Totti was absent - particularly in the later years of the King of Rome's career. Few players in football history have served so honourably as a vice-captain for such a long period of time. The n0ble De Rossi understood his position. He complimented Totti's leadership style and helped the team to have a big voice in all areas of the pitch. De Rossi first wore the captain's armband in March 2006, at the age of 22. It was the second leg of Roma's UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie with Middlesbrough. Luciano Spalletti's side had lost the first leg 1-0, and went behind in the second leg as well. Mancini scored a brace to give Roma the win on the night, but they were eliminated on away goals. Nevertheless, that day will still go down in Roma history, as the first time one of the club's all-time greats led the side out. A little over two years later, De Rossi got to captain the side in a cup final, as the Lupi beat Inter to win the Coppa Italia for the second year in a row. Unlike the previous season, Totti was not involved in the match, so it was De Rossi who got to act as the club's symbol at the Stadio Olimpico, leading the side to a 2-1 triumph. Unfortunately, to this day, it remains the last trophy that De Rossi and Roma won. A great leader deserves to have won more honours after all the commitment he has given and quality he has shown, but that doesn't lower him in the estimations of his supporters. He remains a club idol. As the years went by, De Rossi continued to ensure that Roma were not without leadership in the absence of Totti. Having such a loyal pair together for so long is something that every Roma fan should be proud of being able to witness. One day, the time would come for the latter to move on from his playing days. It was a bittersweet time for De Rossi, who finally got to shed the 'Futuro' part of his nickname, but would no longer be playing with his long-time teammate and friend. De Rossi is a model professional though, and he inherited the armband with class. His first competitive game in his new official role was the 1-0 win over Atalanta at the start of the 2017-18 season. His performances that year varied in quality, but in the second half of the season, he really started to step up and use his leadership to take Roma into uncharted territory. He was a crucial part of the side's run to the Champions League semi-finals. On the miraculous night of the 3-0 win over Barcelona in the second leg of the quarter-finals, De Rossi was immense. He set up the opening goal for Edin Dzeko with a trademark aerial pass, before holding his nerve to score the second from the penalty spot in front of the Curva Sud. True leaders step up when the pressure is at its highest, and De Rossi has always known how to do that. This season, he has continued to flourish as captain, more than a decade on from when he first wore the armband. Now with over 600 Roma appearances to his name, he has cemented himself as a club legend, and one of the Giallorossi's best ever captains. In the game prior to the Frosinone win, against Bologna, De Rossi had come on as a substitute. Captain for the day, Alessandro Florenzi, threw the armband in his direction, but DDR sent it straight back with a look of disgust. De Rossi doesn't need an armband to lead. After all those years as a vice captain, it should have been obvious. De Rossi isn't arrogant enough to demand the armband. He's still a humble servant who puts side before self. And that only adds to the respect that he commands. But nonetheless, it still looks a whole lot better when the armband is on De Rossi. Even now, the team tend to function much better with him in the starting lineup. He remains the beating heartbeat of the team, even if he has the odd off-day. He continues to fight for every lost cause, to inspire his teammates to work harder, and to step up and take responsibility when his team need him most. He guides his hometown club with passion, grit and determination. In many ways, De Rossi is the epitome of what it means to be a captain. Roma have had their fair share of influential leaders over the years.
It's 20 years to the day since Francesco Totti was named as Roma captain, and while the term 'Capitano' has become synonymous with him, he wasn't the only legend who acted as a club symbol. A total of 23 players have held the title of Roma club captain across their 91-year existence, with those reigns lasting anywhere between two months and 19 seasons. Here's a countdown of the 10 most iconic captains in Roma's history. 10. Arcadio Venturi (1953-1957) A loyal player who stayed with Roma during their sole season in Serie B, Venturi helped the side win promotion straight back to the top flight. In appreciation of his commitment to the club, he was awarded the captaincy at the end of the following season. His spell as captain ended in 1957, when he reluctantly moved to Inter to help Roma raise funds. 9. Sergio Santarini (1976-1980) Only five players have played more games for Roma than defender Santarini. The sweeper represented the club across three decades, earning the captaincy towards the end of his 13-year stint with the club. In his final year as captain, he lifted Roma's third Coppa Italia. Such was his longevity at the club, he had been involved in the previous two Coppa wins as well. 8. Guido Masetti (1939-1943) One of the best goalkeepers to have played for Roma, two-time World Cup winner Masetti spent four seasons as captain of the club. During that time, he became the first Roma player to lift the Serie A trophy when Roma won the title in 1942, a feat that only two men have repeated since. Masetti had a major influence on the title-winning campaign, with Roma conceding fewer goals than any other team in the division. 7. Fulvio Bernardini (1929-1939) Roma's second ever captain, Bernardini's contribution to the club was so great that the training ground was later named after him, despite his past association with rivals Lazio. Immediately identified as a leader upon his 1928 arrival at the club, he grew into his role as captain - which he took permanently in 1934 when Attilio Ferraris left - and became part of the club fabric. The midfielder later managed the Giallorossi as well. 6. Giacomo Losi (1959-1968) Captain for nine seasons, which makes him the joint-third longest serving skipper in the club's history, defender Losi held Roma's appearance record for nearly four decades, until he was overtaken by Totti. Partway through his tenure as captain, Losi was given the nickname of the 'Heart of Rome' in recognition of his contributions to the club and the sporting passion he embodied. Losi became the first Roma player to lift the Coppa Italia when they won the competition in 1964. 5. Giuseppe Giannini (1987-1996) Like Losi, Giannini wore the captain's armband for nine seasons, taking over from Milan-bound Carlo Ancelotti. Born and raised in Rome, Giannini was the epitome of what it means to captain La Magica, inspiring a young Totti as well as countless other Romanisti. Just 23 when he inherited the armband, Giannini had big shoes to fill, but he took the responsibility in his stride, inspiring the team to the 1991 Coppa Italia and becoming one of the club's best players of all time. 4. Attilio Ferraris (1927-1934) The first man to be named Roma's captain, Ferraris was another Roman citizen who led the club with distinction. A leader who unified a brand new group of players who had been playing for different clubs, Ferraris wrote his name in history by taking the armband upon the club's foundation. He was the outright captain for the first two years of the club's history, before sharing the role with new acquisition Bernardini, a sign of his nobility and selflessness. In total, Ferraris made over 200 appearances for the Giallorossi. 3. Daniele De Rossi (2017-) While he is only in his second season as official Roma captain, De Rossi has been a leader for much longer. Known for much of his career as 'Capitano Futuro', it was always clear that he had the necessary passion and commitment to captain the club. The first person turned to in the absence of Totti, De Rossi's never-say-die attitude has helped the club through thick and thin. When Totti missed the 2008 Coppa Italia final, it was De Rossi who led the side out and eventually lifted the trophy after a 2-1 win over Inter. A one-club man, De Rossi is the beating heart of the current Roma side. 2. Agostino Di Bartolomei (1980-1984) Nils Liedholm's trusted captain during the glory days of the early 80s, Di Bartolomei led by example. Although a shy man off the pitch, he let his football do the talking on it, being the driving force behind Roma's success. Under his leadership, Roma won their second Scudetto, the Coppa Italia twice and reached the European Cup final for the only time in their history. Although Roma lost that game, Di Bartolomei was an outstanding candidate for man of the match, in what turned out to be his last game for the club. In his wake, he left a legacy that highlighted the value of noble leadership. 1. Francesco Totti (1998-2017) Rome-born, Rome-raised, Roma fan. Francesco Totti was the perfect candidate to represent Roma. When Aldair vacated the captaincy after less than three months in the role, Totti was a clear choice to step into his shoes, despite his tender age of 22. Roma never looked back, and he became the longest-serving captain the club has ever had. Totti's Roma career ended with five trophies, all of which came during his captaincy. So great was the length of his captaincy, that during the same time frame, Juventus and Milan each went through three captains, with Totti outlasting Alessandro Del Piero and Paolo Maldini. Meanwhile, Inter had five captains, and Lazio had 13. All the while, Totti was forging his position as an eternal icon of Roma. And despite all the great leaders that preceded him, it's no wonder the fans sang 'C'è solo un Capitano' in his honour. Do you agree or disagree with the order of this list? Leave a comment below to share your opinions. The life of a footballer is fleeting. They are just one of thousands of players worldwide during the time they are active, so it takes something special to stand out from the crowd.
If they manage to do that, and become one of the best of their generation, they then have to compete with the vast number of legends to have written history when stepping onto a football pitch. There is a plethora of talent that a player finds themselves alongside. They can only do so much to make sure they leave a legacy better than the others. Will people still remember Francesco Totti in ten, twenty years' time? Will his goals have faded from memory after 50 years? Will people even know his name 100 years from now? Of course they'll remember. Because the legend lives on. In a world where it's so easy to be forgotten, Totti has given fans a story that will stand the test of time. He has done things that few others have - stayed loyal to one club, scored over 300 goals, won the World Cup... the list goes on. These achievements won't fade away. Stories will be passed from generation to generation, with more and more people intrigued by the legend of Francesco Totti. Football fans remember their clubs' heroes, even those players from long ago. A Roma fan born in the 1970s, like Totti, will have heard the tales of Amedeo Amadei's goalscoring exploits more than 20 years before. Those born in the 1980s will know about Pedro Manfredini and Giacomo Losi from the side that won the 1961 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the only European trophy the club has ever lifted. And those born after Totti made his debut in 1993 still know how good Falcao, Agostino Di Bartolomei and Roberto Pruzzo were when Roma won their second Scudetto in 1983. And so it will be with Totti. Knowledge of this hero will form part of every Romanista's education in years to come. Youngsters will learn about his skill, leadership and loyalty, and all the records he broke. They will hear of the trophies he inspired his team to, and how he sacrificed a career where he could have achieved anything so that he could follow his heart and play for the club he loved. Videos of all his goals are available online, and the new generations will be able to utilise this luxury to see for themselves just how good he was. They won't have to imagine what he was like; they'll experience the volleys against Udinese and Sampdoria, the chip against Inter, the curled finish against Milan with the outside of his boot. Those same emotions that gripped Romanisti for a quarter of a century will take hold of a new generation. They'll get their own feelings of what it was like to witness Francesco Totti. Totti's story is without comparison. A story of how he grew up in the Eternal City of Rome, fascinated by football. How he played against boys twice his age and ran rings around them. How he idolised Roma's number 10 Giuseppe Giannini, and eventually got to play on the same pitch as him. A story of how he broke into the first team of the club he had supported his whole life at the age of just 16. How he scored before reaching adulthood. And a story of how he went on to lead his team as captain from the age of just 22. A story of how he became only the third Roma captain to lift the Serie A trophy. How he shone on the global stage by winning the World Cup. And how he scored goal, after goal, after goal. A story of how he overtook records set by legends such as Pruzzo and Losi. And he didn't just beat them - he smashed them. If anyone will ever emulate his achievements, they'll have an awful lot of work to do. No, Totti won't be matched by anyone. He had the answer for any question on the pitch, a leader and a hero. His story continued, chapter upon chapter, until he became a part of the very fabric of his club. Francesco Totti has left a legacy through his playing career that will continue to inspire and amaze. Just as he looked up to Giannini, in future years there will be a whole host of youngsters fascinated by his own ability, children dreaming of becoming the next Francesco Totti. They'll be captured by his story and dream about replicating his achievements. Generation to generation, he'll never be forgotten. The legend lives on. Francesco Totti is more than just a name. Those two words mean so much, to so many, all across the globe. Those words have impacted so many people's lives, directly or indirectly, and have become a part of the identity of countless others.
That name, that person, that legend, was also built up by several other factors. Influential people, locations and memories all had some part to play in the shaping of one of Italian football's greatest names. Lots of things made Totti who he is. These are the main factors which contributed to his legend, one for each letter of his name. F is for Foggia The team against whom he scored his first professional goal. At the age of just 17, Totti rewarded the faith shown in him by those at the club with the opening goal in a 1-1 draw. He struck the ball with his left foot, sending it into the back of the net with power and accuracy. It was a pattern that would become rather familiar, as he went on to score 306 more times for the club. R is for Rome The city of his birth, of the team he represented for his entire career, and the place he refused to leave. Totti's upbringing in Rome had a major impact on his life and the decisions he would make as a footballer. Born and raised in the heart of Rome, he came to love his city and those around him. The influence of Roman culture on his upbringing cannot be understated. A is for Azzurri Totti represented the Italian national team 58 times, an international career which culminated in winning the 2006 World Cup. He was an integral part of that world-conquering side, playing in all the matches and being named in the team of the tournament after providing more assists than anybody else. He scored a total of nine goals across his spell with the Azzurri, creating many more for his teammates. N is for Nike The maker of his boots for the majority of his career. Totti's affiliation with Nike began in 2002, and his symbiotic relationship with the brand continues to this day, beyond his retirement. The company famously produced a limited edition gold boot for him for the end of his career, to celebrate 25 years of him playing for Roma. Footwear fit for a king. C is for Capitano The word 'capitano' is just a regular Italian word, but when mentioned in the same breath as Roma, you immediately know who the subject is. Totti wore the Roma armband for nearly 20 years, having been appointed captain in 1998. Roma have had their fair share of iconic leaders over the years, but Totti once again took it to the next level, being Roma's symbol and flag bearer for most of his career. E is for Edwin van der Sar The goalkeeper that Totti famously beat from the penalty spot with a panenka in Euro 2000. The semi-final between Netherlands and Italy had finished 0-0 after extra time, with the finalist to be decided by a tense penalty shootout. On the fifth penalty, Dutch keeper Van der Sar was left helpless as Totti delicately chipped the ball down the middle of his goal. Three spot kicks later, Italy booked their place in the final. Even in a situation of intense pressure, Totti could pull off the spectacular. S is for Selfie When Totti scored the equaliser for Roma in the January 2015 Derby Della Capitale, his second goal of the game, he equalled Dino Da Costa's record of scoring 11 goals against Lazio. To mark the occasion, Totti took an infamous selfie in front of the Curva Sud, celebrating the goal with his own people. It became one of the most iconic images in recent sporting memory, and showed that he's even in touch with the modern era despite his increasing age. C is for Cristian Totti's eldest son, born 6th November 2005. Cristian is also a budding footballer, although his father is keen to divert attention and pressure away from him. Totti Jr. is playing in the Roma youth ranks, and many fans will be looking forward to the day he might possibly follow in his father's footsteps by representing the first team. Unlike his father, Cristian can already speak English, at the age of just 12. C is also for Chanel, Totti's first daughter, born in May 2007. O is for Olimpico The location of many of his finest moments. A lot of things changed throughout Totti's career - coaches, teammates, sponsors - but the Stadio Olimpico always remained his home. A stadium he frequented as a boy, he would later hear his own name chanted from its stands. This ground is where he belongs, a second home to him. T is for Torino Totti has some fond memories of playing against Torino. On 20th April 2016, he wrote one of the greatest chapters of his story against them. At a time when many people thought he was down and out, Totti proved he still had what it took to be a winner by turning this game on its head. Torino were winning 2-1 when Totti was brought on in the 86th minute. By the 89th minute, Roma were winning 3-2, and Totti had scored both goals. Even in the latest stages of his career, he was still a game-changer. Coincidentally, he scored against Torino again just a few months later in the new season, with what turned out to be his last ever goal in Serie A. O is for One Club Man Make no mistake, Francesco Totti had the ability to play for any club in world football. This is a man who was nominated for the Ballon D'Or five times while playing for a club who don't have the same reputation as the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Manchester United. Imagine the accolades he could have won if he had gone on to play elsewhere. Instead, Totti chose to stay loyal to one jersey, and in an era where most players chase money or trophies, he remained true to himself and his people for all his career. T is for Trequartista Totti played in a range of positions throughout his career, but arguably the one where he was most at home was as a trequartista, or attacking midfielder. It was in this number 10 role that he played in Roma's 2000-01 Serie A winning season, a position from which he could create goals and score them himself. He also played as a left winger or a false nine at different points in his career, but his football was at its most enjoyable level when he was playing in behind the striker, given the freedom to orchestrate play. T is for Ten The number he wore on his back for so many years. Since squad numbers became compulsory in Serie A, Roma have only had three number tens - Giuseppe Giannini, Daniel Fonseca, and Totti. Having worn the shirt for 20 of his 25 years as a Roma player, it's fair to say the number has become synonymous with his name. While the number hasn't been retired by the club - at Totti's own request - it's hard to imagine a player who could inherit it in the future and go on to do it justice in the way Totti did for all those years. I is for Ilary Totti married Ilary Blasi in June 2005. Something of a celebrity couple in Italy, their relationship has brought three children - Cristian, Chanel, and another 'I', Isabel, born 2016. Family has been the centre of Totti's life away from the pitch and Ilary has always been there to support him. Through the many highs and lows, Totti's family has always been by his side - one of many factors that have made him the man he is today. It's April 2016. Roma are losing 2-1 at home to Torino, with minutes remaining. A slip up now could be costly in the race for Champions League qualification, with Inter only four points behind with five games left. Enter Francesco Totti.
Totti had been used sparingly by Luciano Spalletti after the Italian coach returned to the club that January, often making brief appearances from the bench. But now, Spalletti was out of ideas. He turned to Roma's captain, bringing off defensive midfielder Seydou Keita. It was now or never. Straight away, Miralem Pjanic crossed the ball from a free kick. Kostas Manolas headed it on and Totti followed the flight of the ball at the back post. The veteran dived forward, sticking his right boot out to fire the ball past Daniele Padelli. 2-2. Three minutes later, Roma won a penalty, as Diego Perotti's cross was handled in the box. Perotti himself was known as a proven penalty taker, but there was only going to be one player taking this. Totti took a deep breath, before shooting to Padelli's right-hand side. Time stood still for a moment... then the ball crossed the line. This was the stuff of legend. Totti had created magic to turn the game on its head. Fans in the stadium were reduced to tears as their hero pulled them back from the brink yet again. Roma would win the game, and secure 3rd place by the end of the season. Totti was certainly no stranger to inspiring comebacks. His influence in turning a loss into a win against Torino was not an isolated event. Throughout his career, Totti made a habit of changing the outcome of a game on his own. Just over a year earlier, he had scored two second half goals to bring Roma from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw against rivals Lazio, writing his name into Derby Della Capitale folklore by becoming the rivalry's all-time leading scorer. This was a man who never knew when to give up, who was hungry to win no matter the circumstances. It happened all throughout his career. Rewind to his very first goal for Roma, in a Serie A match with Foggia, and the result would have been different without his input. Roma drew 1-1 that day, and would have lost without Totti's goal. Even as a teenager, he was changing games - a habit that he wouldn't grow out of right up until his retirement. Over the course of his career, Totti's goals contributed to a mammoth 170 points for Roma. That's the extreme level of his impact on the club. After his goal earned a point against Foggia that September day in 1994, not a season went by in which at least one of Totti's goals changed the outcome of a match. For those wondering where Roma would have been without Totti, a fact like this puts things into perspective. He was turning cup ties on their heads right from the beginning, too. In October 1994, Roma were trailing Genoa 2-0 after the first leg of their Coppa Italia Round of 16 clash. It was none other than Totti who scored the opener in the second leg, only a month after officially becoming an adult, setting Roma on their way to a 3-2 win and a change of fortunes in the tie. The young Totti was showing he could have an influence on games even in the early days of his career. A few years later, under Zeman in the 1997-98 season, Totti's goals meant Roma finished four points better off. Consequently, they finished 4th, in the UEFA Cup places. Had Totti not been involved, Roma would have finished down in 7th, missing out on qualification for the competition. Over time, his contributions grew and grew. The following season was his first as captain, and the armband wasn't a burden for him, as his goals accounted for eight points. For the second consecutive year, Roma achieved a European qualification which they wouldn't have done without their talisman, and fate repeated itself for a third successive season when Totti helped Roma to a 6th-place finish in the 1999-2000 Serie A. The next year would be a sweet one for everyone at Roma. For only the third time in their history, the Giallorossi won the Scudetto, in a title race that went down to the wire. Totti scored on the final day, a decisive 3-1 win over Parma, with his 13th goal of the league season. In the club's most crucial times, he stepped up to the plate and delivered. Without his strikes that season, Roma wouldn't even have finished in the top two. Having won the Serie A title, Roma achieved Champions League qualification for the first time in Totti's career. Fabio Capello's side were drawn in a group with Real Madrid, Lokomotiv Moscow and Anderlecht. They finished 2nd in the group, qualifying for the second group stage. Along the way, Totti scored a late winner against Lokomotiv to ensure the Giallorossi finished above their Russian counterparts. The world was watching, and Totti was delivering. There were low points in Totti's remarkable journey, though. The 2004-05 season, in which Roma went through four managers, was a particular struggle. Roma were three points away from being relegated after only winning one of their last 13 games. Totti's 12 league goals that year were worth five points to the team. Without him, it would have been Serie B for only the second time in the club's history - a harrowing thought of what a world without Totti might have been like for Roma. On the bright side that year, Roma reached the Coppa Italia final, and it was Totti's winner against Udinese in the Last Four that put them there in the first place. Sadly, neither Totti nor any of his teammates could score in the two-legged final, as Inter won 3-0 on aggregate. Better things would return, and in 2006-07, Totti had his best goalscoring season ever. He netted 32 times in all competitions to clinch the European Golden Shoe. It was his most effective season for Roma, as he won the side 21 points with his goals, a performance that meant Roma finished five places better off, in second. As Totti entered the final 10 years of his career, he continued to inspire comebacks. One notable example was in the penultimate game of the 2009-10 season, when Roma were losing 1-0 to Cagliari with just 15 minutes left. Totti managed to equalise in the 79th minute, before finding the winner from the penalty spot just four minutes later in a dramatic turnaround. Totti always kept his composure late on. Against Udinese in April 2011, Totti had put Roma 1-0 up before Antonio Di Natale equalised late on. Never settling for a draw, Totti found the back of the net with the outside of his boot in the fourth minute of stoppage time, restoring Roma's lead with a piece of pure striking instinct. As he approached 40 years of age, and coaches became more reluctant to use him, Totti continued to defy the odds and lead Roma to unlikely comebacks. In April 2016, he came on as a late substitute against Atalanta and scored an equaliser in a 3-3 draw just seven minutes after entering the action. Totti struck the ball low and hard into the corner to rescue a point for Roma. Three days later, he would inspire the miraculous comeback against Torino; this was the perfect precursor to that infamous day. Totti only scored three goals in his final season, but two of them were game-changers. Against Sampdoria, he showed nerves of steel to score a 93rd-minute winner from the penalty spot in a game that had been delayed for over an hour due to rain. His last ever goal for Roma came in February 2017, against Cesena in the Coppa Italia quarter-final. It was another late penalty, as he fired Roma into the next round in the 97th minute. The old legs still had it. Many successful footballers possess great levels of skill and technique. But it takes someone special to impose themselves on a game in the way Francesco Totti did. Few players can win a game single-handed, performing when the rest of their teammates are not, but Totti was one of those players. As such, he earned dozens of important results for Roma, part of the process that made him so dear to the fanbase. It really is frightening to imagine where Roma might have been if he hadn't stayed with the club for his whole career. Playing for the same club for 25 years is no mean feat. Totti's longevity at the top, with his beloved club, is something unlikely to be matched ever again.
Totti's time with Roma can be emphasised by bringing to light the many things that have changed since his debut. The world is a different place to what it was in March 1993, when the fresh-faced 16-year-old was brought on for his Roma debut against Brescia. Those in attendance that day couldn't have imagined what they were witnessing the beginning of. As Totti's career continued well into his 30s and early 40s, he began to play with and against some great players who hadn't even been born when he made his debut. In a 4-3-2-1 formation, here is a lineup of the best he shared a pitch with. GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma (DOB: 25/2/1999) Like Totti, Donnarumma broke into the first team at his club at the age of just 16. The Italian has been virtually ever-present for AC Milan since, being heralded as one of the most promising keepers in European football. Totti played against Donnarumma twice - initially as a substitute in a 1-1 draw in January 2016, and again in May that year in a 3-1 win for Roma, the final game of the season. RB: Marquinhos (DOB: 14/5/1994) Brazilian defender Marquinhos spent one season playing with Francesco Totti and Roma, 2012-13, in which his reputation grew considerably. After proving himself as a skilled and versatile defender, Marquinhos earned a move to PSG in summer 2013. CB: Raphael Varane (DOB: 25/4/1993) When Roma came up against Real Madrid in the 2016 Champions League Round of 16, Totti faced the club he had come close to joining ten years earlier. Lining up against him was French defender Varane, who played all 90 minutes of the first leg. Totti was given a standing ovation at the Bernabeu in the return fixture. Just as Totti had in 2006, Varane became a World Cup winner in 2018. CB: Mattia Caldara (DOB: 5/5/1994) Caldara came through the ranks at Atalanta, before moving to Juventus, and then AC Milan. It was during his time with Atalanta that he featured against Totti, just weeks before Roma's favourite son retired. Totti only made a brief cameo in the draw, but it's still enough for Caldara to be able to say he's played against the legend. LB: Emerson Palmieri (DOB: 3/8/1994) The other full-back in this team was also a teammate of Totti's, rather than an opponent. Emerson Palmieri came to Roma in August 2015, giving him two seasons in which he could share the pitch with Totti. His final appearance alongside Totti came against Chievo, the penultimate game of the 2016-17 season. A week later, Emerson was brought off injured in Totti's last game before the captain came on. CM: Leandro Paredes (DOB: 29/6/1994) Another creative player who lined up in the same team as Totti on several occasions, Paredes spent the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons with Roma. In between that time, he had a loan spell with Empoli, although Totti did not play against him in either of the games that season. A deep-lying playmaker, Paredes was sold to Zenit in 2017. CM: Franck Kessie (DOB: 19/12/1996) A player that could reportedly have joined Roma, but chose Milan instead, the dynamic Kessie played against Totti and Roma while with Atalanta in 2017. Like Caldara, he played the entire game in the April matchup, in which Totti came on as a late sub. CM: Mateo Kovacic (DOB: 6/5/1994) Kovacic seems to have been around for a long time, but is still only 24. Back in October 2013, when he was still a teenager and played for Inter, the Croatian midfielder came on as a substitute in a 3-0 Roma win. Totti scored two goals that day. In the return fixture, neither player featured, while they met again once the following season. AM: Federico Bernardeschi (DOB: 16/2/1994) Roma and Fiorentina met five times after Bernardeschi's debut for La Viola without him playing on the same pitch as Totti, but that changed on 4th March 2016, when Totti came off the bench in a 4-1 Roma win. Both players wore number 10, but only one could be on the winning side, and that was Totti. They met again the next season, both coming off the bench, but that time it was Bernardeschi who saw his side gain the three points, via a 1-0 scoreline. AM: Paulo Dybala (DOB: 15/11/1993) In terms of playing style, Dybala is probably the most similar player to Totti in this lineup. Also a creative number 10, the Argentinian attacker was lighting up Serie A as a youngster with Palermo in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons. His path crossed with Totti's twice in that first season, but not in the second year. However, he played against Totti for another side when he met him as a Juventus player in May 2017, a 3-1 win for Roma in which both players came on as subs. ST: Andrea Belotti (DOB: 20/12/1993) Like Dybala, Belotti lined up against Totti for two different clubs, of which the first was also Palermo. In May 2015, with Dybala left on the bench, both Totti and Belotti scored on the final day of the season. The latter's goal came deep into stoppage time, sealing a 2-1 win for the Sicilian side. After moving to Torino, Belotti played against Totti three times - one of which was the infamous game in which Totti scored two late goals from the bench to turn the game around to a 3-2 Roma win. |
samuel bannister
Founder and editor of Giallorossi Yorkshire, who is also a columnist for Roma's official website about the women's team. Categories
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