To Rome, With Love, From Francesco Totti
- January 22, 2026
Francesco Totti’s dazzling playmaking earned him many nicknames during his two-decade-plus career. But if there’s one that describes his true loyalty, “Il Gladiatore” is the most fitting, because a warrior always has a place of origin. The attacking midfielder spent an illustrious career leading AS Roma, his hometown club, where he earned status as a creative genius on the pitch. Loyalty to one’s home is a value that can be hard to find in modern-day sports. Now 49 years old, Francesco says his connection to Rome is as important to him today as it was when he first suited up in Stadio Olimpico 33 years ago. Here, Francesco talks about his commitment to Rome, whether creativity on the pitch is innate or learned, and more.
There’s no part of your hometown that doesn’t shape you. Rome offers many things: fun, beauty, sun, sea, mountains, basically everything. Then there’s the people. Rome’s passion for football is one of a kind. They are passionate, they are loving, they are willing to do anything for the team. When you are a Roma fan, you have a visceral love for the game.
Play is the most important thing for a young footballer. Football has always been my favorite sport. I grew up with the ball at my feet. When I saw that ball spinning, I ran after it as if it were the air I breathed. In my adolescence, I grew up in my neighborhood playing in the street with my friends. That kind of unsupervised play makes you grow up quickly.
Give yourself the permission to separate yourself from your idols. My idol growing up was Giuseppe Giannini, the captain of Roma. “The Prince.” I would have paid gold to have the same career as him. Technically speaking, we were two totally different players. But I always watched how he played, how he moved, how he positioned himself on the pitch.
You can’t train creativity. Either you have it or you don’t. In football, Number 10s have this special connection to creativity in the game. When you wear that number, you have something different from everyone else. When I took the pitch, I only thought about having fun and entertaining people. Creativity, carefreeness and a desire to have fun were all instinctual to me. And that doesn’t mean creativity always works, because creativity is inherently about taking risks. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don’t. But that’s all part of the thrill.
In his career, Francesco is in that rare class who combined a generational skill set with incredible longevity.
“Staying with the same team, wearing the same jersey, has been the most beautiful and important victory in my career.”
Francesco Totti
Seeing your dreams through is all about continuity. The first time I wore the Italian national team jersey, it was a moment full of happiness. You need to hold on tightly to a dream like playing for your country. In the end, it’s about showing up, over and over again, and seeing your dreams through. When you have passion and desire, it’s easier to sustain the ups and downs of a long career.
At the highest level, you’re surrounded by champions as teammates, playing against opponents who are champions. The question is, who can be more closely united? Italy succeeded on that national team because we had so much talent. But we became world champions in large part because we had a great coach in Lippi, who was able to handle everyone. When you have a united group with a single goal, everything becomes easier.
Boots themselves are like a part of the football community. When I see the Tiempos I wore throughout my career, it moves me. I shared so many years with them, just like a real person. When you’re confident in your boot, you can do things you didn’t think were possible. The boots give you mental security too. For example, without the tongue of my boot positioned in the exact spot I needed it, I couldn’t play the way I wanted. Not only did I like the aesthetics, in terms of how they were made, but I also had a reference point when I looked down at my feet and kicked. When the tongue was out of place, I felt like my foot was a little crooked, so I didn’t feel like I could kick properly. The tongue was almost like having a scope. Those words sound strange, don’t they? But mentally, my boots were essential for me.
Staying with the same team, wearing the same jersey, has been the most beautiful and important victory in my career. Because it’s not easy. It’s one thing to say it, it’s another to do it. But I did it because there was passion, there was love for my country. It’s always been my primary goal, to start and finish with the same jersey I’ve always worn.