AS FRANCESCO TOTTI continues to prove his footballing genius is as eternal as the city of his birth, today’s anniversary of his Roma first-team debut serves as a reminder of his longevity at the very top of the game.
Today, 28 March, marks 22 years since Totti made his first competitive appearance for the club he had worshiped as a boy. The rest, as they say, is history.
Born in Porta Metronia, five miles from the Stadio Olimpico, Totti came on with five minutes to go as Roma led Brescia 2-0 in 1993.
In his autobiography, Totti recalls how he was plucked out of the youth team by the then manager Vujadin Boskov to travel with the first team squad to Brescia for the Serie A clash:
“I was playing with the Primavera on Saturday, it was Roma v Ascoli I think. I scored twice in the first half, then Luciano Spinosi brought me off and I left for Brescia with the first team.
“I wasn’t expecting anything, really, because just having traveled with the first team was a big thing for me, something I’ll never forget. The day after, on the Sunday, Vujadin Boskov turned to me and said: ‘Come on, get warmed up, you’re going on.’
“I was sat on the bench next to Roberto Muzzi and figured the coach was talking to him, but Roberto said: ‘Look, he means you, go on.’ I spent about ten seconds warming up and went on. The game was almost over, there were about five minutes left… I was really excited and very happy.”
Totti has gone onto become Roma’s record appearance maker and leading goalscorer and at 38-years-old remains an ever present in Rudi García’s side.
