Totti receives prestigious UEFA President's Award in recognition of incredible career

Totti, who played his 786th and final game for the Giallorossi on Sunday, will receive the special recognition at a ceremony in August, joining the likes of Franz Beckanbauer, Johan Cruyff and Sir Bobby Charlton in becoming a recipient of the award.

UEFA president Ceferin highlighted Totti's "extraordinary loyalty" as another reason behind his decision to bestow the award.

"The President's Award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities," Ceferin said. "These attributes are personified by Francesco Totti – a man who has given around a quarter of a century of his life playing for his beloved AS Roma.

"Congratulations, Francesco, for a fantastic career and for your extraordinary loyalty and dedication, to Roma and to football."

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The man himself was quick to share his thanks for the recognition.

"I want to thank UEFA and President Čeferin for the President’s Award," Totti wrote on his official Facebook page. "It’s such an honour to read my name among those of the great sportsmen of the past.

"It’s a pleasure to see that my loyalty to Roma’s jersey has been recognised internationally."

Previous winners of the UEFA President's Award

1998: Jacques Delors (European Commission, France)
1999: ----
2000: Guy Roux (France)
2001: Juan Santisteban (Spain)
2002: Sir Bobby Robson (England)
2003: Paolo Maldini (Italy)
2004: Ernie Walker (Scotland)
2005: Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands)
2006: Wilfried Straub (Germany)
2007: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)
2008: Sir Bobby Charlton (England)
2009: Eusébio (Portugal)
2010: Raymond Kopa (France)
2011: Gianni Rivera (Italy)
2012: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
2013: Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
2014: Josef Masopust (Czech Republic)
2015: ----
2016: ----
2017: Francesco Totti (Italy)