Totti Admits He Came Close To Leaving Roma

The Italy legend spent his entire career with the Giallorossi, where he won five trophies in 25 years.

Loyalty to a football club for the whole of one’s career is almost impossible, but Totti has been one of the very few players to do so.

The 43-year-old has insisted that it had always been his dream to play for his boyhood club forever, but he later considered the idea of leaving Rome in search for more honours.

“My dream was to remain at Roma forever,” the 2006 World Cup winner told Er Faina during a live interview on Instagram.

“Milan started trying to sign me before I even made my debut for Roma.”

“The time I really was on the verge of leaving was for Real Madrid in 2004-05.”

“I wanted to win. We’d won one Scudetto and then lost two straight afterward. I wanted us to buy champions and hire coaches to win trophies. I saw a lot of problems.”

“However, Franco Sensi was like a father to me and I gave him everything I possibly could.”

Despite his exalted rank in the history of Roma, Totti’s playing days at the Stadio Olimpico ended in controversy, as there was a purported tension between him and the club president Jim Pallotta.

“Pallotta never told me that I wasn’t going to be offered a new contract, he just made sure I got the message.”

“It was disappointing because I’d done so much for Roma and expected a little more respect.”

“The call came, I had two games left and my world collapsed around me.”

“I still would’ve appreciated more respect.”