Francesco Totti: footballing brilliance
Francesco Totti, celebrating in trademark fashion.
Vujadin Boskov is a name not many associate with Serie A club Roma. Coming on the back of a glittering coaching career in Netherlands, Spain and Italy (with Genoa, north of Rome), he was expected to induce the same winning streak as he had done before. He failed horribly, being sacked eventually. But not before presenting a 16-year old boy his first game with the senior team. In a 2-0 win away at Brescia, Boskov told the youth academy player to lace up his boots, and 20 years now, he’s still wearing them.
The boy is indeed Francesco Totti, who will be turning 37 next week. It is quite astonishing that adding together his youth academy days with Roma, his union with the Giallorossi is now entering an astonishing 24th year.
He has signed a new two-year contract till the 2015-2016 season, which will tie him to the Italian side just before his 40th birthday. Having played over 500 games for Roma, it is likely the Italian talisman will end his career with the only club he has played with.
“It’s what I and the club wanted. I thank them for giving me another chance to wear the shirt of the only team I’ve ever supported and loved”
“I have another two years of responsibility and I know that we can do great things here”, said Totti before Sunday’s match with Lazio, which Roma eventually won 2-0 in what was a hard fought match, ending their 2-year wait to triumph in a derby.
It was rumored that new pastures in Stateside await Totti, after the player admitted he had plenty of offers to play in a MLS side. But those rumors were put to rest after Totti committed his future to the city of Rome. Some MLS fans will be disappointed that one of Italy’s greatest-ever attackers seems to have shut the door on the league, in favour of playing out his career at Roma.
Francesco Totti has become a symbol for his hometown club like few players have. In this age of internationalism and constant result-driven pressure, perhaps no one ever again will be able to forge such an elongated relationship with a top club.
He is the epitome of the “one club man”, an example for all. Despite getting chances to play in top clubs like Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United, he had an unwavering resolution to stay put in his boyhood club Roma.
Totti has scored 228 goals for Roma, putting him second on the all-time list of leading Serie A goalscorers. He is just 47 goals short from the tally ex-Lazio, Torino and Juventus striker Silvio Piola struck, who played between 1929 and 1954 and leads the way with 274 strikes.
He played a key role in Roma’s 2000-01 title win and also helped them to six runners-up spots between 2002 and 2010, two Italian Cups and two Italian Supercups.
Although he has only lifted the Scudetto once, has never been at a big club, he’s never won the Champions League or the coveted Ballon d’Or, being only twice in the top ten. But time and again he has been counted in the all time football greats. Pelé, on the occasion of FIFA’s centenary celebrations, included him in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Then again, God’s gifts are not something that can be explained in numbers. After all, Maradona never won a Champions League.
The five-time Italian Player of the Year Totti is Roma’s top scorer in the League, in Europe, and has converted more penalties than anyone else. He is the Roma player with the most appearances and goals in the Italian national team and is the top scoring active player in Serie A.
Could Totti have achieved more? Perhaps. Many pundits argue over his decision to not make a move to one of the bigger clubs in England, Spain or Germany. After all, great players have graced those pitches and Totti should have been one of them.
“I think I’m happy with my career. I don’t have any limits, but I think that I’d be satisfied. I’ve had a good career, even though we could have achieved more trophies with Roma in the Italian league and with cups, but unfortunately we didn’t.”, Totti said when asked this question.
The ex-Italy International has started all three matches of Roma’s 100% winning start this season under new manager Rudi Garcia.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has insisted that the Roma captain is still a candidate to join the Azzurri for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil. He has played 58 matches for Italy, his last game being in 2006 when the Azzurri sealed their fourth World Cup with victory over France on penalties.
Despite his focus on club football, Prandelli has not ruled out a return to the national team for the Roma captain. Who knows, Totti could well weave his magic for the last time on International stage.
For long, he was a player who operated behind the strikers. In the mid-2000s, he adapted his game to become one of the most lethal strikers of his era. He flaunts wonderful skill and class, which only some Italians of his generation are capable of. His football is about invention, wonder and no small amount of genius.