Francesco Totti facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Francesco Totti
OMRI

Totti in a charity match in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth	(1976-09-27) 27 September 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Rome, Italy
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	Attacking midfielder, forward
Youth career
1983–1985	Fortitudo
1985–1986	Trastevere
1986–1989	Lodigiani
1989–1993	Roma
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–2017	Roma	619	(250)
National team
1992	Italy U15	6	(3)
1991–1992	Italy U16	13	(2)
1993–1995	Italy U18	14	(7)
1995–1997	Italy U21	8	(4)
1997	Italy U23	4	(2)
1998–2006	Italy	58	(9)
Honours Men's football Representing  Italy FIFA World Cup Winner 2006 Germany UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2000 Belgium–Netherlands UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 1996 Spain
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Francesco Totti (born 27 September 1976) is a famous Italian former footballer. He played his entire career for Roma and the Italian national team. Totti was a very skilled and creative player. He could play as an attacking midfielder or as a striker.

Totti spent his whole career at Roma. He helped them win a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia cups, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. He is the second-highest scorer in Italian league history with 250 goals. He is also Roma's top goalscorer and the player with the most games played for the club. Totti holds the record for the youngest club captain in Serie A history. Fans called him "The Golden Boy," "The Big Baby," "The Eighth King of Rome," "The Emperor," and "The Captain."

Totti also had great success with Italy. He won the 2006 FIFA World Cup and reached the final of UEFA Euro 2000. He was chosen for the All-Star team in both tournaments. In 2007, Totti stopped playing for the national team. He wanted to focus only on playing for Roma.

Many people consider Totti one of the best players of his time. He won many awards, including the European Golden Shoe in 2007. In 2004, Pelé named him one of the world's greatest living players in the FIFA 100 list. After he retired in 2017, Totti received the Player's Career Award.

Early Life and Youth Career

Totti in 1986

Francesco Totti was born in Rome, Italy. He grew up in the Porta Metronia area. As a young boy, he looked up to Giuseppe Giannini, a former Roma captain. Totti started playing youth football in 1984. He played for Fortitudo, Trastevere, and Lodigiani.

Scouts from big clubs noticed his talent. Milan offered him a good deal. But his mother wanted him to stay in Rome. Even though his youth club agreed to sell him to Lazio, a Roma youth coach convinced his parents. So, Totti joined the Roma youth team in 1989.

Club Career with Roma

Starting Out: 1992–1997

After three years in the youth team, Totti played his first game for Roma's senior team. He was only 16 years old. This happened on 28 March 1993, in a 2–0 win against Brescia. The next season, he started playing more often. He scored his first goal on 4 September 1994. By 1995, Totti was a regular player for Roma. He scored 16 goals in the next three seasons. His coach praised his talent.

In 1996, a new coach, Carlos Bianchi, arrived. Totti found it hard to get playing time. He almost left for Sampdoria on loan. But Roma's chairman, Franco Sensi, stopped the transfer. The coach eventually left the club.

Becoming Captain: 1997–1999

Under coach Zdeněk Zeman, Totti grew as a player. He became stronger and more complete. He played on the left wing, which gave him space to attack. He also became more responsible for the team. He was given the famous number 10 jersey.

In his first season with Zeman, Totti scored 13 goals in Serie A. He helped Roma finish fourth in the league. He won the Guerin d'Oro award for being the best player in Serie A that season. On 31 October 1998, Totti became the official team captain. He was the youngest Serie A club captain ever, at 22 years old. He scored his first goal in the Rome Derby on 29 November 1998. He scored 30 goals and made 26 assists in Zeman's two years. He was named the Serie A Young Footballer of the Year for the 1998–99 season.

Winning the League Title: 1999–2004

Decal of Totti alongside the Scudetto shield, displayed on a house in Rome

In 1999, Fabio Capello became Roma's coach. He wanted to win the league title. By the 2000–01 season, Roma built a strong team around Totti. Capello used Totti as a creative attacking midfielder. Totti scored important goals throughout the season. On 17 June 2001, Roma beat Parma 3–1. Totti, Vincenzo Montella, and Gabriel Batistuta all scored. Roma won the Italian league title for the third time in their history. Totti scored 13 goals that season.

Totti won the Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year award in 2000 and 2001. He also won the Serie A Footballer of the Year award in 2000. He became a hero to Roma fans. He was from Rome and supported the club his whole life.

Totti in 2002

In the next seasons, Totti played as a forward or second striker. He often played with Batistuta or Antonio Cassano. On 30 September 2002, he scored his first hat-trick in Serie A. He scored the only goal in Roma's 1–0 win against Real Madrid in Madrid. In 2003, Totti won his second Serie A Footballer of the Year Award.

In the 2003–04 season, Totti helped Roma finish second in the league. He scored 20 goals, his best record in Serie A at that time. He won his second Guerin d'Oro award.

Changing Role: 2004–2009

The 2004–05 season was tough for Roma. But Totti still played well. He scored his 100th Serie A goal on 3 October 2004. On 19 December, he became Roma's all-time leading scorer in Serie A. He broke the record held by Roberto Pruzzo. Roma reached the Coppa Italia final but lost to Inter.

For the 2005–06 season, new coach Luciano Spalletti used Totti as a lone striker. This new role was called the "false-9". Totti often dropped back to get the ball. This created space for other attacking players. He scored 15 goals in 24 league matches. On 19 February 2006, he broke his leg. He was at risk of missing the 2006 FIFA World Cup. But he returned on 11 May 2006.

Totti lifts the 2007–08 Coppa Italia trophy presented to him by President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano (right)

The 2006–07 season was great for Totti. He scored 26 goals in Serie A. He also scored six more goals in other competitions. Roma won the Coppa Italia final against Inter. Totti scored the first goal in 50 seconds. He finished the season as Serie A's top scorer. He also won the European Golden Shoe award.

On 19 August 2007, Totti helped Roma win the 2007 Supercoppa Italiana. He won a penalty that Daniele De Rossi scored. On 16 January 2008, Totti scored his 200th goal for Roma. He was named the Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year for the fifth time. On 24 February, he played his 386th Serie A game for Roma. This equaled the club record. He broke the record on 27 February. On 9 March, he played his 500th game for Roma.

On 19 April, Totti injured his right knee. He needed surgery and was out for four months. Roma won their ninth Coppa Italia on 24 May. Totti lifted the cup as captain. He became the most successful captain in the club's history.

Totti playing against Fiorentina in 2009 during the final year of Spalletti's first spell with Roma

In the 2008–09 season, Totti recovered from his injury. On 8 November 2008, he played his 400th Serie A game. He scored the first goal in a 1–1 draw. He helped his team beat Lazio in the Rome derby. On 19 April 2009, Totti scored his 175th Serie A goal. He became one of the top-ten goalscorers in Serie A history.

Challenges and Comeback: 2009–2011

Roma had a difficult start to the 2009–10 season. Coach Spalletti resigned and Claudio Ranieri took over. Totti played well in the UEFA Europa League. He scored two hat-tricks in the competition. In Serie A, he scored three goals against Bari. Eight days later, Totti signed a new five-year contract. He would stay at the club until 2014.

Roma went on a 24-match unbeaten run in Serie A. They challenged Inter for the league title. Totti played in the Coppa Italia final but got a red card. Roma lost the match 0–1.

Totti in 2011

In the 2010–11 season, Roma lost to Inter again in the 2010 Supercoppa Italiana. Totti felt Ranieri's defensive style was a problem. Totti won the Golden Foot award. But he spent a lot of time on the bench. This led to arguments with Ranieri. There were rumors that Totti might leave Roma. After a loss to Genoa, Ranieri resigned. Totti's former teammate Vincenzo Montella became the new coach.

Montella brought back an attacking style of play. Totti started playing his best again. On 13 March 2011, he scored two goals against Lazio. This gave Roma their fifth straight win in the Rome Derby. On 20 March, Totti became the sixth player in Serie A history to score 200 goals. He scored twice to reach 201 league goals. On 1 May, Totti scored two goals against Bari. He passed Roberto Baggio to become the fifth-highest goalscorer in Serie A. Totti finished the season with 15 goals. Twelve of these goals came in Roma's last 13 league games.

Roma got new owners at the end of the season. They hired Luis Enrique as the new coach.

Playing Deeper: 2011–2012

In the 2011–12 season, Totti did not start many games under Luis Enrique. He got injured on 1 October 2011. He returned to play on 20 November.

In December, Totti started playing more often. He played as a creative attacking midfielder. He provided many assists that season. He helped Dani Osvaldo score against Napoli. Totti played a supporting role. He used his experience to help the team.

On 8 January 2012, Totti scored his first goals of the season. He scored two penalties against Chievo. He scored two more goals against Cesena. His second goal set a new record. He became the player with the most goals for a single club in Serie A, with 211 goals. On 12 April, Totti scored his fifth goal of the season. Two weeks later, in his 500th Serie A match, he scored two goals.

Breaking More Records: 2012–2013

Totti in action during a 2012 friendly match against Liverpool in Boston, Massachusetts

Luis Enrique resigned, and Zdeněk Zeman returned as coach. Totti played as a left forward or winger. He also dropped back to help in midfield. On 2 September, Totti made two assists in a 3–1 win over Inter. People praised his performance, even though he was almost 36. On 21 October, Totti scored against Genoa. He became the third-highest scorer in Serie A history with 217 goals. On 8 December, Totti scored two more goals.

Zeman was replaced by Aurelio Andreazzoli in February 2013. Totti scored against Juventus on 16 February. Roma won 1–0. On 3 March, he scored his 225th goal against Genoa. He became Serie A's joint second-top scorer. Totti broke this record on 18 March by scoring against Parma. He reached 226 goals. On 8 April, he scored a penalty against Lazio. He became the joint top scorer in the Rome Derby with nine goals. Totti finished the season with 12 goals and 12 assists. Roma reached the Coppa Italia final but lost to Lazio 0–1.

Playing as a Free Forward: 2013–2015

Rudi Garcia became Roma's new coach in 2013. Totti played as a "false-9" or supporting forward. On 20 September 2013, Totti signed a new contract. He would stay at Roma until 2016. He scored his first goal of the 2013–14 season on 16 September. He scored two more goals against Inter. On 20 November, he received the "Captain of Captains" award.

Totti in 2014 playing for Roma against CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Champions League

On 14 February, Totti was injured for about a month. He returned on 17 March and scored. On 25 March, Totti played his 700th game for Roma. On 2 April, he scored his 20th career goal against Parma. He finished the season with eight goals and ten assists. He was the top assist provider in Serie A.

On 30 September 2014, Totti scored against Manchester City. He was 38 years old. This made him the oldest scorer in UEFA Champions League history. It was also his 300th professional career goal. On 25 October, he scored against CSKA Moscow. He extended his record as the oldest Champions League goalscorer.

On 11 January 2015, Totti scored two goals against Lazio. This made him the joint all-time top scorer in the Rome Derby with 11 goals. On 9 May, Totti scored a penalty against Milan. He equaled Roberto Baggio's record of 68 penalty goals in Serie A. On 31 May, he scored his 299th goal for Roma. Totti finished the season as Roma's leading scorer with ten goals.

Final Seasons: 2015–2017

On 20 September 2015, Totti scored his 300th club goal for Roma. This happened in a 2–2 draw with Sassuolo. On 26 September, he got injured. He was out for three months. He returned on 9 January 2016. He equaled Gianluca Pagliuca as the third all-time highest appearance holder in Serie A.

On 21 February 2016, Totti criticized coach Luciano Spalletti. He was not getting enough playing time. This caused rumors that Totti would leave the club. On 8 March, Totti played against Real Madrid. Fans at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium gave him a standing ovation. On 20 April, he came off the bench against Torino. He scored two late goals to win the match 3–2. His penalty goal made him the top scorer of penalties in Serie A history. He also became the oldest player to score two goals in a Serie A match.

On 2 May, Totti scored a free kick against Genoa. This was his 21st free kick goal in Serie A. He joined Baggio as the fourth-highest scorer of free kicks. On 8 May, Totti played his 600th Serie A game. He became the third player to reach this milestone. Totti scored four goals in his last six games as a substitute. On 7 June, he renewed his contract for one more year. He said he would retire at the end of the 2016–17 season. He also signed a six-year contract to be Roma's technical director.

On 11 September 2016, Totti played against Sampdoria. He equaled Paolo Maldini's record of playing in 25 Serie A seasons. He came off the bench and scored a penalty in injury time. This secured a 3–2 win. His goal meant he had scored at least once in 23 consecutive seasons. On 25 September, he scored his 250th Serie A goal. This was two days before his 40th birthday. On 29 September, Totti played all 90 minutes against Astra Giurgiu. He provided two assists. On 20 October, Totti made his 100th appearance in UEFA club competitions.

On 1 February 2017, Totti scored a penalty in injury time against Cesena. This sent Roma to the Coppa Italia semi-finals. On 15 April, he made his 615th Serie A appearance. He equaled Javier Zanetti as the joint third highest appearance holder.

The Stadio Olimpico, in the day of Totti's last official match

On 28 May, Totti played his final game for Roma. It was a 3–2 home win against Genoa. He came on as a substitute and received a standing ovation from the fans.

International Career

Youth and Early Senior Career

Totti played in FIFA and UEFA youth tournaments. He reached the final of the 1993 UEFA European Under-16 Championship. He won the UEFA Under-21 Championship in 1996. He scored in the final against Spain. The next year, he helped Italy win a gold medal at the 1997 Mediterranean Games.

Totti played his first senior game for Italy on 10 October 1998. This was a Euro 2000 qualifying win against Switzerland. He scored his first goal for Italy on 26 April 2000. In total, Totti played 58 games for Italy. He scored nine goals and made 24 assists.

Euro 2000 Success

Totti (right) celebrates alongside teammate Alessandro Del Piero at Euro 2000. Totti's performances through the tournament earned him the number 10 shirt of Italy.

Italy went to Euro 2000 with Totti in great form. He scored two goals and made one assist. His first goal was against Belgium. His second was against Romania. In Italy's semi-final win over the Netherlands, Totti scored a famous chipped penalty. He told his teammate, "Now I'm scoring with a Panenka."

Italy lost to France 2–1 in the final. But Totti was named man of the match. He started the play that led to Italy's first goal. Totti was chosen for the 22-man Team of the Tournament.

2002 World Cup and Euro 2004

Totti wore the number 10 shirt for Italy at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He set up Christian Vieri's first goal against Ecuador. But he did not score or make a big impact in other games. He was sent off in extra time against South Korea. The referee gave him a second yellow card for diving.

At UEFA Euro 2004, Totti was banned until the semi-finals. This was because he spat at a Danish player. Italy was eliminated early, so he did not play again.

Winning the 2006 World Cup

Totti (right), President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano and the team celebrate victory in the 2006 World Cup

Despite injury, Totti recovered to play in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Italy coach Marcello Lippi believed in him. Totti played in all seven games for Italy. He played in the final against France, which Italy won on penalties. He played with metal plates and screws in his ankle.

Totti played as an attacking midfielder. He finished the tournament with the most assists (4). He set up goals against Ghana, Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Totti also scored a penalty in injury time against Australia. He was involved in Alessandro Del Piero's goal against Germany in the semi-final. Totti was chosen for the 23-man All-Star Team.

International Retirement

Totti decided to retire from international football after the 2006 World Cup. He made it official on 20 July 2007. He wanted to focus on playing for Roma. Italy's coach at the time tried to get him to change his mind, but Totti did not.

Later, Totti said he would play in the 2010 FIFA World Cup if called up. But he was not chosen for the squad. Italy was eliminated early from the tournament. Some people said Italy missed creative players like Totti. In 2013, Italy's coach said he would consider Totti for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. But Totti was not selected. Italy was again eliminated in the first round.

Player Profile

Totti wore number 10 for most of his club career

Francesco Totti is known as one of Italy's greatest players. He is also considered Roma's best player ever. He usually played as a classic number 10. This means he was an attacking playmaker or a deep-lying forward. Later in his career, he played as a lone striker. He could play anywhere in attack. He also played as a winger or central midfielder.

Totti was a great goalscorer. He was also known for his ball control, vision, and passing. He could set the pace in midfield. He often used no-look passes or backheels. Pundits praised his technique and precise long passes. He was also known for his work rate and willingness to help defend. Totti became physically stronger over time. This helped him play well even as he got older.

Totti during a pre-season friendly in 2013

Totti was good at dribbling and getting past opponents. He had a powerful and accurate shot with both feet. He was also a great penalty kick and free kick taker. He often used the "Panenka" technique for penalties. This was called the cucchiaio (spoon) in Italian. One famous example was in the Euro 2000 semi-final. He also scored many chipped goals. One of his most famous chipped goals was against Inter in 2006. It was named the best goal in Serie A that season. Totti was praised for his leadership as Roma's captain.

However, Totti sometimes got criticized for his temper. He sometimes committed fouls and received yellow or red cards. He has the joint-sixth highest number of red cards in Serie A history.

Goal Celebrations

Totti was known for his fun and unique goal celebrations. In a 1999 Rome Derby, he scored and showed a T-shirt. It said, "I've purged you guys again." Another time, he took a sideline camera and aimed it at the Roma fans.

He often showed T-shirts with messages. He had two for his wife, Ilary Blasi: "You're One of a kind" and "You're Still the One." His ritual of sucking his thumb after a goal started after his son was born. It continued after his daughter was born. On 11 January 2015, Totti scored twice against Lazio. He then took a selfie with the Roma fans.

After Retirement

On 17 July 2017, Totti confirmed he had retired from playing football. He accepted an offer to become a club director at Roma.

On 18 September, Totti started studying for a coaching license. But he left the course two weeks later. He was too busy with his director duties at Roma.

On 17 June 2019, he resigned from his role at AS Roma. He said the club's management did not involve him enough in decisions. This ended his 30-year connection with the club.

Outside of Football

Personal Life

Totti in 2007

Totti married Ilary Blasi on 19 June 2005. Their wedding was shown on TV, and the money went to charity. They had their first child in 2005 and a daughter in 2007. They had a third child in 2016.

Totti's brother, Riccardo, is his agent. He manages Totti's business interests. This includes the Francesco Totti Academy, a football training school. He also runs the Totti Soccer School for children with disabilities.

Helping Others

Totti became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF in 2003. He also became an ambassador for FIFA/SOS Children's Villages in 2006. To raise money for charity, he published two joke books about himself. Some jokes were filmed in short videos with other famous footballers. On 16 January 2008, he appeared as "PaperTotti" in the Disney comic series Topolino. The money from subscriptions went to charity.

In 2009, Totti helped start a campaign called Football Adopting Abandoned Children. He adopted a team of young Kenyans to play football in Nairobi. In 2015, Totti played in a "Tennis with Stars" event in Rome. This event helped disadvantaged children.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Totti goal.

List of international goals scored by Francesco Totti

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	26 April 2000	Stadio Oreste Granillo, Reggio Calabria, Italy	Portugal	2–0	2–0	Friendly
2	14 June 2000	Koning Boudewijnstadion, Brussels, Belgium	Belgium	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2000
3	24 June 2000	Koning Boudewijnstadion, Brussels, Belgium	Romania	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2000
4	7 October 2000	Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy	Romania	3–0	3–0	2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification
5	2 June 2001	Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia	Georgia	2–0	2–1	2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification
6	11 June 2003	Helsingin olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland	Finland	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
7	13 October 2004	Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma, Italy	Belarus	1–0	4–3	2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification
8				3–1
9	26 June 2006	Fritz Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany	Australia	1–0	1–0	2006 FIFA World Cup

Honours and Awards

Roma

• Serie A: 2000–01
• Coppa Italia: 2006–07, 2007–08
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2001, 2007

Italy Youth Teams

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 1996
• Mediterranean Games: 1997

Italy National Team

• FIFA World Cup: 2006
• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2000

Individual Awards

• Guerin d'Oro: 1998, 2004
• Serie A Young Footballer of the Year: 1999
• UEFA European Championship Teams of the Tournament: 2000
• Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2000, 2003
• Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007
• ESM Team of the Year: 2000–01, 2003–04, 2006–07
• FIFA 100 (list of greatest living players chosen by Pelé)
• Serie A Goal of the Year: 2005, 2006
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006
• FIFA World Cup top assists provider: 2006
• Serie A top assists provider: 1998–99, 2013–14
• Capocannonieri (Serie A top scorer): 2006–07
• European Golden Shoe: 2006–07
• Serie A Goalscorer of the Year: 2007
• Pallone d'Argento: 2007–08
• Golden Foot: 2010
• Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2014
• Premio internazionale Giacinto Facchetti: 2014
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship All-time XI: 2015
• AS Roma Hall of Fame: 2017
• UEFA President's Award: 2017
• Gazzetta Sports Awards Legend: 2017
• Globe Soccer Player Career Award: 2017
• Laureus Academy World Sports Exceptional Achievement Award: 2018
• AIC Lifetime Achievement Award: 2018
• Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2018

Totti's footprint on The Champions Promenade in Monaco

Orders and Recognitions

• 
  3rd Class / Commander: Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2 June 2022
• 
  CONI: Golden Collar of Sports Merit: Collare d'Oro al Merito Sportivo: 2006
• 
  4th Class / Officer: Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2006
• 
  5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2000

Records

• Roma all-time leading goalscorer: 307 goals
• Roma all-time leading goalscorer in Serie A: 250 goals
• Roma all-time leading goalscorer in UEFA Champions League: 17 goals
• Roma all-time leading goalscorer in UEFA Europa League: 21 goals
• Roma all-time leading goalscorer in UEFA competitions: 38 goals
• Roma all-time appearance maker: 786 matches
• Roma all-time appearance maker in Serie A: 619 matches
• Roma all-time appearance maker in UEFA Champions League: 57 matches
• Roma all-time appearance maker in UEFA Europa League: 46 matches
• Roma all-time appearance maker in UEFA competitions: 103 matches
• Serie A youngest club's captain: aged 22 years 34 days
• Most goals for a single club in Serie A: 250 goals
• Second-most goals scored in Serie A: 250 goals
• All-time most assists in Serie A: 162
• Derby della Capitale all-time leading goalscorer in Serie A: 11 goals
• Most penalties scored in Serie A: 71 goals
• Most different teams scored against in Serie A (alongside Roberto Baggio and Alberto Gilardino): 38

Images for kids

• 

  Totti's footprint on The Champions Promenade in Monaco