He was 13 years old when he started playing for the club of his heart for the first time and never left. Twenty-seven years have passed and Roma's top scorer Francesco Totti said goodbye to football in an Emotional tribute this past Sunday and left the field as a great example of the athlete he has been to football and Roma.
Beautiful trajectory
Francesco Totti is the player who scored the most in Serie A for a single team. There were 307 goals in 786 games, all for Roma. His life was shared within a single club. A true love. There, as top scorer of the team that takes the name of the city where he was born and lives until today, he has become a spectacular and victorious player.
He was Serie A champion with Roma, as well as the Super Cup of Italy.
He has been with the team in all seasons and through ups and downs, always supported by fans and leaders. Sampdoria even proposed a loan and Benfica wanted him exclusively, just as other teams wanted.He had the potential to be wherever he wanted to, to get a chance to win more titles and even more money. But something made him stay in Roma, and such loyalty to a single club is rare these days.
What we see most are players kissing the clubs patches on their shirts, declaring eternal love and, months later, doing the same for other clubs. That football is a business everyone knows and often, pretty much always, the player gets into the hands of businessmen who aim for profit, titles, and big names.
But what makes a player like Francesco Totti stay until the end? From first to eighth place.
Winning or losing, he made his story where it started. He did not have to leave to become grand. He was elected the 2012 most popular player in Europe for having so much charisma among football lovers. He won the 2006 World Cup with the Italian team.
His tears last Sunday showed his love for the club and the recognition of his fans. His heart is, in fact, in that 'shirt'. In that city. Totti is an example to follow. His loyalty and consideration to the club are worthy of applause.
Players for one club
Like the Italian, Englishman Steven Gerrard is another example of a single club member.
He arrived in Liverpool at the age of 7, played there for most of his career and became a very respected captain not only at Anfield but also on England national team. He left the club in 2015, played one season in the North American league, but retired after.
He could have gone to other clubs in search of more spotlight, but he stayed where his heart lived and was, and is still the greatest idol of the Reds, as did Rogerio Ceni, Brazilian goalkeeper who spent his entire career in Sao Paulo football club and is currently coaching the team. Lionel Messi seems to be following the same steps. He played for Barcelona since he was 13 years old.
Love vs money
How good is it for a player to change that much from one team to another?
What makes athletes like Francesco Totti, Steven Gerrard so different from newer players, who seem to be aiming for money, great clubs and titles, only. Love for sport is in the background.It is something to think about but, until something evolves, we are left with the good moments of Francesco Totti and his beautiful career in Roma, the club that consecrated him, made him the athlete he is and has his respect and love. How many can say that? Few. Francesco Totti is one of them.
