A tearful Francesco Totti said
goodbye to 70,000 tearful fans at the Olimpico after playing the
final game in a 25-year career for his only club, home town team
Roma.
"The lights have gone out, I'm afraid, I need you," said the
40-year-old legendary Roma skipper, reading out a farewell
letter after a 3-2 win over Genoa that kept the Giallorossi in
the second automatic Champions League qualifying place.
Totti said at his farewell dinner Sunday night that he would
play on, "I don't know where but I'll continue", according to
video footage.
The former Roma skipper says, apparently at first jokingly:
"the letter isn't finished yet, it goes on to say I'm
going to continue".
Then Totti becomes more serious and says: "I'll continue,
I'll continue: I don't know where but I'll continue".
Totti, 40, had preciously hinted he might not hang up his
boots after ending his Roma career.
He may make a swansong abroad before returning to Roma as an
executive, soccer pundits say.
Tributes kept pouring in for the Roma legend Monday.
Ex-premier Matteo Renzi said Totti had "given emotions to an
entire generation" while Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau had his
photo taken with a no.10 shirt, calling the Olimpico event
"unique".
The world's press honoured the retirement of one of the
game's greats.
"Roma fans celebrate their King," said the Sun, adding that
no one had a dry eye at the Olimpico.
The Daily Mirror said "Totrti is the most loved by soccer"
and the Daily Mail headlined "The emotional farewell of the King
of Rome".
Argentina's Olé headlined "When the Emperor Cries" while
French daily L'Equipe devoted two pages to Totti's farewell,
headlined "Veni, vici, Totti".
Spanish daily Marca highlighted "the tears of Totti's team
mates and Totti's emotional speech" while ABC said "Adios to the
Roma captain who will represent the giallorossi colours in
eternity" and Il Mundo Deportivo headlined "Totti's epic
farewell".
In Brazil, Globoesporte bade farewell to the legend in
Italian, saying "Ciao captain, the greatest idol in the history
of his club".
Totti confirmed Thursday that the Serie A match against
Genoa would be his last for AS Roma, but he also suggested he is
not ready to quit the game.
"Roma-Genoa, Sunday May 28, 2017, the last time that I will
be able to wear the Roma jersey," Totti wrote on his Facebook
page.
"I only feel my love for soccer is not going: it's a passion,
my passion.
"It is so deep that I cannot imagine stopping to feed it.
Ever.
"As of Monday I will be ready to start over. I'm ready for a
new challenge".
The 2006 World Cup winner scored 307 goals in 785 appearance
in all competitions for Roma, including 250 in Serie A, plus
nine goals for the national team.
Only Silvio Piola, who scored 274 for Pro Vercelli, Lazio,
Torino, Juventus and Novara between 1929 and 1954, has scored
more in the Italian top flight.
The born-and-bred Roman has only ever played for the team he
supported as a child, having spurned attempts to lure him away
by bigger clubs.
This is why his trophy collection is relatively small for
a player of his class - he helped Roma win the 2000-2001 Serie A
title and the Italian Cup in 2007 and 2008.
Although his class is undiminished, his athletic prowess has
waned and he has spent much of this season on the bench.
"Sometimes I have penalized Totti and I'm sorry about that,"
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said recently.
"But I have always said that I have to treat him like a
(normal) squad member and I have to make decisions.
"Totti is part of the squad. He is the most important player,
our symbol, our legend. But I will continue the position adopted
up to now in these last few matches".
Totti is expected to take up an executive position at Roma
after hanging up his boots.
It is not yet known what position he is set to get after
retiring, though there has been speculation he will be an
assistant to director of football Ramon Monchi.
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