«Real Madrid were the only other team that I could have gone to play for. The only team it could have been… I think…»
Francesco Totti on joining Real Madrid
Since 2000, Real Madrid tried to sign Totti several times. The last attempt was in 2006, shortly after Italy’s triumph at the World Cup. In 2006, Real Madrid was in crisis, while Barcelona was entering its prime. Still, even in that situation, he could have won at least one La Liga title.
At the same time, AS Roma? Since 2006, only two Coppa Italia titles, one Supercoppa Italiana.
With Francesco Totti’s 24th season as a Roma player, he became a member of the “one-club man” list.
But… what If…?
Of course, it means becoming a legend of a single club, but only after the end of your career can you understand that it might have been a mistake.
When we talk about “The Last Roman Emperor”, we can definitely ask whether it was a mistake.
Why? Because now you can see that AS Roma’s management (both past and present) often failed to truly build around the club’s greatest legend, and Totti’s loyalty to Rome may have been a one-way road.
The “one-club man” is a player who spends his entire career at one club. It is a fascinating phenomenon, because we live one life – and a football career is even shorter. When you refuse the opportunity to play in another league, experience another football culture, and set new goals, you may end up carrying a question for the rest of your life.
Source of the quote: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/oct/09/francesco-totti-in-my-time-football-was-made-of-love-today-its-more-business
