Francesco Totti

Full Name   Francesco Totti Date of Birth   September 27, 1976 Place of Birth   Rome, Italy Height   1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Position   Attacking midfielder, Forward Number   10 (Captain) More   Totti Soccer Jerseys   Francesco Totti Wallpapers   Francesco Totti Clips

Francesco Totti's Biography

      Francesco Totti is, according to many, the most talented player to have come from Italy over the past ten years. His mother claims that Totti started to play football at the age of ten months when he used to dribble on the beach. Francesco Totti, born in Rome in 1976, is one of Italy's and the world's great football players, and one of footballs finest players worldwide. He enjoys immense popularity with young people around the world, and his genuine desire to help children led him to become a National Ambassador for the Italian Committee for UNICEF in March 2003. Francesco Totti is one of the world's most naturally gifted players, but has struggled to prove it consistently on the international stage. He showcased his vision, incisive passing and cool finishing as Italy made the final of Euro 2000 - his first major tournament - but has failed to fulfil his potential for the Azzurri.

      Francesco Totti, born September 27, 1976 in Rome) is an Italian football player, who currently plays for AS Roma in Serie A and for the Italian national team, with whom he won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

      Francesco Totti's position is that of a striker or an attacking midfielder, though he is best known for playing as the trequartista (or second striker), a compromise between the two positions where the player acts as a link between midfield and attack. He is also Roma's first choice to take free kicks and penalties, having scored a number of goals from dead-ball situations.

      Totti is widely recognised as the symbol of Roma, having never left the team despite the possibility of playing in stronger and richer clubs, and being the number one goalscorer and the most capped player in the club's history.

      Totti is married to Ilary Blasi, a former showgirl, who currently works as commentator and host on several RAI TV programs. The couple had their first baby, named Cristian, on November 6, 2005, and their second baby, a daughter Chanel on May 13, 2007.

      Totti also runs a football school, named Number Ten, and owns a motorcycle racing team called "Totti Top Sport".

      His best friend is his brother, Riccardo. However, Totti always says that his brother was the better player when they were kids, but he was unlucky on his way. Totti had a strong bond with Riccardo so today, Riccardo is Totti's agent.

      He also had a bad relationship with his previous coach Fabio Capello, who is currently coach of Real Madrid. Totti accused Capello of being a traitor for leaving Roma suddenly without a warning, and left the Roman team in a very bad shape which had them almost relegated to the second division in 2004-05 season. This rift started on Capello's last days with Roma: according to Totti, his behaviour to most of the players changed, and once advised the younger players not take Totti as their role model player, but to take Brazilian Emerson as an idol for his hard work. Several months later, Capello, Emerson and Frenchman Jonathan Zebina all left AS Roma for rivals Juventus suddenly.

      His close friendship with former teammate Antonio Cassano was ended as well when Cassano created a ton of problems for AS Roma before moving off to join Real Madrid where he was later joined by Capello and Emerson. Currently Totti and Cassano are not on talking terms. In a public bust up with Capello, Cassano claimed that he was wrong to leave Roma and he hopes that Roma and Totti will forgive him.

      Francesco Totti made his Serie A debut on 28 March 1993 for Roma, his hometown club and the one he joined as a young boy. Few were left in any doubt as to the potential on show. Even at the age of 16, Totti’s touch and vision were breathtaking. In the early part of his career, Totti was shrewdly kept from the limelight by his mentors, the wily old coaches Vujadin Boskov and Carlo Mazzone, who both managed Roma during Totti’s formative years. The risk of burn-out was great for one with so much talent. Francesco was a key component of the Roma and Italy youth teams as he learned his trade in professional football. He was a member of the Azzurri team that won the 1996 UEFA European U-21 Championship in Barcelona.

      Despite uneasy relationships with both his next two managers, the Czech Zdenek Zeman, who used Totti in a wide-attacking role as part of a rigid 4-3-3 formation, and Fabio Capello, one of the most successful Italian managers of all time, Francesco was well on the way to glory. He refined his attacking talent under Zeman and radically improved his tactical discipline under Capello. With the latter at the helm and Totti as captain, Roma won the Serie A title in 2001, their first for 18 years and only the third in their history.

      Totti, already adored by the Roma fans, now became a one of Italy’s most famous faces, featuring in sports and general publications alike. His kudos was further enhanced by a declaration of eternal love for the only club he has ever played for, turning down overtures from the wealthy northern Italian clubs in the process. He might have won more silverware at another club, but has decided to forego this in favour of footballing immortality in Rome.

FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Winners

      As far as international football is concerned, Francesco Totti has so far failed to live up to expectations with Italy. The FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 is the tournament in which Totti, a footballer in his prime, has the best opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, this has been thrown into doubt by the broken ankle he suffered in February. His best moment with Italy came at UEFA Euro 2000 when Totti helped the Azzurri reach the final.

      The last two international tournaments have both been personal disasters for Totti. He was sent off against Korea Republic in the second round of Korea/Japan 2002 as Italy crashed out against the co-hosts, and he was suspended for a total of four matches after the Italy-Denmark game at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal following a disreputable spitting incident.

      Totti’s best position is in the hole just behind the two strikers, where his vision, passing and trickery are most effective. His shooting is excellent and his body strength also allows him to mix it with the toughest of defenders. Forthcoming opponents of Italy conceding free kicks around the penalty area do so at their peril.

      If there is one trademark piece of skill that best sums up Totti, it is the chipped shot, with the Italian maestro able to subtly vary the flight of the ball at will. Just ask Edwin Van der Sar who was on the receiving end of a cheekily-chipped penalty kick during Italy’s semi-final clash with the Netherlands at Euro 2000, with the Azzurri winning the decisive shootout 3-1 to take their place in the final.

Official Francesco Totti Merchandises

07-08 Roma home (Totti 10)

06-07 Italy home (Totti 10) - 4 star

06-07 Roma away (Totti 10)

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