Roma icon Francesco Totti refused to rule out a return to his boyhood club. "Never say never!"
Totti was controversially shown the door by the Giallorossi after 25 years at the club, and retired at the end of the 2016-17 season. However the former Roma captain says that he took the decision hard.
“I’ve always had passion, when a player has that that’s all they need. When you have it with determination, with desire, with light-heartedness, then you get things you never imagined,” Totti told streaming service DAZN.
Roma icon Francesco Totti refused to rule out a return to his boyhood club. "Never say never!"
Totti was controversially shown the door by the Giallorossi after 25 years at the club, and retired at the end of the 2016-17 season. However the former Roma captain says that he took the decision hard.
“I’ve always had passion, when a player has that that’s all they need. When you have it with determination, with desire, with light-heartedness, then you get things you never imagined,” Totti told streaming service DAZN.
“Then the end must come. It came a little unexpected, but it was right. Now I have digested it, but it took me two years, because it wasn’t my choice.”
One of Totti’s most defining career moments is his ‘cucchiaio’ penalty against Holland in the semi final of Euro 2000.
“People act as if I only ever scored penalties, though. Pulling off a ‘cucchiaio’ (spoon) penalty is difficult. Before taking the kick you must decide that you have already thought about where you will place the ball.
“If you are thinking about attempting a spoon it means that you have a particular mentality, it takes a little madness.”
Totti also rejected moves to Milan and to Real Madrid in 2001, but says he never regretted the decisions.
“Even though I was 25 when Real Madrid called me, I never regretted the decision. In fact, when I see players from that side today, they tell me how crazy I was, rejecting the strongest team in the world.
“It means that sometimes the head doesn’t think, you have to be crazy to turn them down. I made a choice out of love that I’ve never denied.
Asked if Totti will return to Roma one day, he didn’t rule it out.
“Never say never!”