An End of an Era for the Roman Warrior - Totti

One of the great footballing careers at a single club has finally come to an end.

Francesco Totti, one of the game's most exquisite and elegant footballers, drew the curtain on his life with Roma. A club in which he has spent his entire professional career at thus far.

And he ought to be commended for it.











I believe Pele made the point of the issue he has with club football; where a player will kiss the badge of a team one year and in the next he is caressing the colours of another.

Probably even a rival.

Club football, moreso now than ever, is about moving to a team that can give you titles. It's why we have not seen a replica of that great Ajax team of 1995. We almost had that with Klopp's Dortmund but we all know how that was painfully broken up.

Players are not content with sticking together and building something.

We've seen it with Dortmund, and we are about to see the same with Monaco. Where their best players will be sold off to the highest bidder. The "smaller" club makes their money and the player gets his trophies.

Not so with Totti.

Let's rewind the clock back to 2000, in the summer. Italy, lead by Dino Zoff, were seen as underdogs in a tournament where the eyes were on either the Netherlands or France. But in typical Italian fashion, they made their way to the final.

One of the shining lights that inspired them there was the dude with the flowing hair and headband. A style that I would reject as a coach. But hey, if it makes you perform then I'm all for it.

Totti showed the world his amazing mentality as a footballer and the deft touch which propelled him as the world's best playmaker.

And his moment came in the semi-final against Holland.


In Dutch territory. The nerve-tingling of penalties. Totti stepped up, and all he had to do was pick a side and drill it with as much power into that corner.

Nope.

In true Totti fashion, he had to do it with style in the most tense situation in football. He unleashed a panenka, and Italy went on to make it into the final.

And in that same final, with Italy a goal up against France, Del Piero will look back and wonder how he was unable to convert from the two incredible chances served up on a plate for him by Totti.

This was Francesco showing how he could not only see passes no other player on the pitch could, but he knew how to deliver them with devilish precision.

Despite Italy not winning the tournament, it was the kind of performance that takes you from Roma to any of the big clubs. AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid...take your pick, Francesco.

But Totti resisted the offers. A player who was at the peak of his talents, and regarded as the best playmaker in world football, stayed with his hometown club, instead of chasing greater wealth and more trophies.

I may have my issues on certain aspects of Totti's character, namely his ego and arrogance. But when it comes to loyalty and the love he has for his city; that cannot be questioned.

You look at the players who have played for their hometown clubs, and at the first chance they can move to a bigger club, they take it without hesitation. The very word "loyalty" is a foreign term to these modern players.

And a lot of them who have made the move, were never as good as Totti was between 2000-2002. So for someone of Totti's talents to remain at home, and fight for honours with a team who were not as gifted as the bigger clubs must be applauded.

Totti would be wise to hang up his boots now. At age 40, there is nothing more he can give to the game. Even if he heads to the retirement home of the MLS, he's far too old to make any impact.

With every great story, there comes the perfect ending. And it would be the ideal footnote on a commendable career for Francesco if the very last thing he did in the game was walk off to the best (and longest) applause I have ever seen a player be given.


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