Francesco Totti

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Totti was referred to by the Italian sports media as Er Bimbo de Oro (The Golden Boy), Er Pupone (The Big Baby), L'Ottavo Re di Roma (The Eighth King of Rome), L'Imperatore (The Emperor) and Er Capitano (The Captain). In 2013, the New York Times described him as a 'Roman god in his game.' He is the top goalscorer and most capped player in Roma's history.

In Their Own Story

Born to parents Lorenzo and Fiorella Totti, he idolised ex-Roma captain Giuseppe Giannini. His mother refused a lucrative offer from Milan to keep him in Rome. Although his youth club initially agreed to sell him to Lazio, coach Gildo Giannini persuaded his parents to let him join the Roma youth squad in 1989. He made his senior debut at age 16 on 28 March 1993 against Brescia.

Reader's Guide

Totti spent his entire career at Roma, becoming the youngest Serie A club captain ever at 22 on 31 October 1998, inheriting the armband from Aldair. He scored 250 goals in Italian league history (second-highest of all time) and 316 goals in all competitions for Roma (seventh-highest scoring Italian). He won the 2007 European Golden Shoe and a record eleven Oscar del Calcio awards.

Did You Know?

• Totti was the youngest club captain in Serie A history at age 22.
• His mother refused a lucrative offer from Milan to keep him in Rome.
• He scored three goals from free kicks across both legs of the 2003 Coppa Italia final against Milan, though Roma lost on aggregate.
• In 2002, he became the first player in 35 years to score for an Italian team at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu.

The Eternal One-Club Man

Totti is a one-club man who spent his entire career at Roma. His mother refused an offer from Milan, and he joined the Roma youth squad in 1989 after Gildo Giannini persuaded his parents to block a move to Lazio. He made his senior debut on 28 March 1993 under coach Vujadin Boškov. On 31 October 1998, at age 22, he became the youngest Serie A club captain in history. He holds records for most goals and caps for Roma, and is the top scorer in Serie A while playing for a single club.

Global Glory and International Service

Totti won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy and was selected in the All-Star team for that tournament and UEFA Euro 2000. He also represented Italy at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. Due to recurring physical problems, he announced his international retirement in 2007 to focus on Roma.

Awards and Individual Accolades

Totti won a record eleven Oscar del Calcio awards: five Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year, two Serie A Footballer of the Year, two Serie A Goal of the Year, one Serie A Goalscorer of the Year, and one Serie A Young Footballer of the Year. He won the 2007 European Golden Shoe, the 2010 Golden Foot, and was named the most popular footballer in Europe by IFFHS in 2011. In 2004, he was named to Pelé's FIFA 100 list. France Football rated him as one of the ten-best players over age 36 in 2015. After retiring in 2017, he received the Player's Career Award and the UEFA President's Award.

The Evolution of a Playmaker

Initially playing as a second striker under Carlo Mazzone, Totti scored his first goal on 4 September 1994 against Foggia. Under Zdeněk Zeman, he adapted to the left wing in rigid formations, becoming physically stronger and receiving the number 10 jersey. He finished the 1997–98 season with 13 goals, winning the Guerin d'Oro. In 1998–99, he became captain on 31 October 1998 and scored his first Rome Derby goal on 29 November 1998 against Lazio. Under Fabio Capello in 2000–01, he played as a creative attacking midfielder in a 3–4–1–2 formation, helping Roma win the Serie A title with 13 goals. He scored his first hat-trick on 30 September 2002 against Brescia and the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Real Madrid on 30 October 2002.