There were very few footballers in the vast history of the beautiful game who define the word “Loyalty” as Francesco Totti does. The legendary Italian who spent 25 years as a professional footballer at his boyhood club AS Roma, was once hailed by Diego Maradona as the greatest player he saw.
Despite having many opportunities during his stellar career to move elsewhere, Totti remained glued to his boyhood club and won the Serie A once. The 45-year-old, in an interview with The Guardian, mentioned that the footballing landscape had changed a lot these days.
The Italian opined that staying at the club he loved and supported was an easy choice for him to make, but it happens less often these days. He feels football is more about business, and says that is fair enough as well.
“I started out in different times. A different football. A football made of love, of affection toward fans. Playing for the team I always supported, it was a lot easier for me to make this choice.
Twenty-five years in one team is no small thing, and being the captain, being one of the most important players, you always need to measure up.
But to make a comparison between my time and today, it’s difficult. Today it’s more business. You go where you can make more money. And that’s fair enough, no?”
Totti said.
He also recollected the time when Real Madrid had offered him the biggest contract in world football for a player, but he turned that down. He also had a chance to join AC Milan’s academy when he was 12, when the club director turned up at their door, but his family decided he stays in Rome.
He mentioned that moving to Santiago Bernabeu could’ve been a fantastic experience for him and his family members, but he has no regrets.
In the interview, he also revealed that the club had asked him if he wanted to give a speech after the derby game against Lazio in 2017, which was how he got to know the club had intentions to not continue with him.
Later that season, Totti bid farewell in one of the most emotional footballing goodbyes of all time, leaving the Rome in tears. He mentions that he would’ve loved to have control over when his career ended, like Gianluigi Buffon did, but the 2006 World Cup winner has found a way to live with it, and has no hard feelings.
