Totti has a flair for scoring goals. Last season, he scored 26 times for AS Roma and was crowned not only as the Capocannoniere, the award for the topscorer in Serie A, but also as the European Golden Boot Winner.
This season has been no different for the Roman God as he has already scored four goals in as many matches in Serie A. The two spectacular strikes within six minutes against Juventus were a display of what the Roma skipper could inflict on the opposition.
The striker has already outlined his targets for this season and aims to win both the Scudetto and the Champions League. Francesco is just four goals away from scoring 200 for his club.
Totti’s affair with the Italian national team started very well when he helped the team qualify and reach the final of the Euro 2000 where he won the Man of the Match Award against France, despite being on the losing side. The 2002 World Cup ended in a disappointment for Totti as he was sent off for diving against South Korea.
Totti’s Euro 2004 also ended prematurely as he was banned for spitting at Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen. However, he was one of the key players as the Azzurri qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Totti took part in the tournament with a metal plate inserted in his ankle and played his part as the Azzurri lifted the World Cup last year. Totti was also then selected for the 23 member Master Card All Star Team.
However, Totti has recently retired from international football as he wants to focus more on his club career. Communities and chat rooms dedicated to Totti went berserk as they couldn’t accept the fact they may not see the Roma captain in an Azzurri jersey ever again.
One of the most interesting aspects of Totti is his celebration after a goal. Once, he took off his shirt and had another which read “6 (sei) Unica!” which means “You’re unique”, which was meant for his wife Ilary Blasi. Another is when he kisses his ring finger and looks upwards thanking God. Totti’s first child Cristian was born in November’05 and since then he sucks his thumb as a mark of dedicating his goals to him.
Totti has come out with two self-effacing joke books which were best-sellers for a prolonged time. The money raised is donated to a children’s charity. He is also the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. It’s impossible to think of Roma without Totti as he has stayed loyal to the club since the day he began playing professional football.
The influential star is also a fashion icon for millions across the globe. It’s a common sight even in places where Serie A is not broadcast, like in Mumbai, for boys to sport similar hairstyles to Totti.
Totti is currently being lined up for the Golden Ball and players like De Rossi and Adrian Mutu have already voiced their support for the Italian. If Totti wins the Ballon’d Or then he would be the first Roma player to win the most coveted prize since its inception in 1956. With the tenacity of a lion and an eagle’s eye for goals, long may Totti continue his brilliant displays. Happy Birthday Francesco!
1 comments:
I honestly believe he'll be a better player for deciding to give up his international career, thoughts?
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