Football in its purest state. When you touch the sky of a city, a club, a family, millions of loyal and passionate fans. An infinite and categorical love. Francesco Totti is the greatest symbol in the history of Roma and one of the best Italian footballers of all time. Few names in world football evoke as much passion, commitment, loyalty and talent as Francesco Totti. Born in Rome on September 27, 1976, Totti was not just an AS Roma player. It was, and continues to be, the soul and eternal symbol of the club from the Italian capital. At a time of change when football was dominated by business and million-dollar transfers, Totti remained faithful to a single shirt throughout his professional career, transforming himself into an icon of loyalty and love for the city that saw him born. He made his debut for Roma on March 28, 1993, aged just 16, in a 2-0 victory at Brescia. And he quickly won the hearts of fans with his talent. Playing like a true number 10, one of those who insist on disappearing, Totti combined class and creativity with a remarkable finishing ability. He was capable of deciding games with a brilliant touch, an impossible pass or a memorable goal. In 1998, he inherited the captain's armband, a role he maintained for almost two decades. Under his command, Roma experienced unforgettable moments, including the Serie A title in 2000-01, as well as two Italian Cups and two Italian Super Cups. However, even in the years when the club was not fighting for the top, Totti remained, refusing tempting offers from giant clubs in world football. For the Italian prodigy, Roma was not just a club, it was a part of himself. “I was born a Roman, I will die a Roman,” he once said. And it did. Over 25 seasons, Totti participated in 786 official games and scored 307 goals for Roma, both absolute club records. He also became the second best scorer in the history of Serie A, behind only the late Silvio Piola, who won a World Cup with the Italian team in 1938. But the numbers, although impressive, do not capture the true dimension of what Totti represented. This footballer was the connection between romantic football and modern football, the last great flagsymbol of an era of rare fidelity. He said goodbye to the pitch in May 2017, at a completely packed Rome Olympics and in tears. His goodbye was more than the end of a career. It was, indeed, the closing of one of the most romantic chapters in the history of football. Francesco Totti was a symbol of identity, loyalty and eternal love for a city and a club. In Rome, there are beautiful monuments that tell the story of the Roman Empire. In football, there is only one monument that tells the story of AS Roma: Totti, Il Capitano.
