Opinion: What Totti means to a new generation of fans

In the modern game, one-club players are becoming a prized commodity. The emergence of ‘super clubs’ such as Barcelona and Real Madrid mean that players often dream of moving to Spain to play with the cream of the crop.

But there are some players who can resist such temptations. Francesco Totti, Il Capitano, the King of Rome, was offered the chance to move to Real Madrid and their star-studded collection of ‘Galacticos’, but he declined.

For him, home is everything. That’s why he’s adored all over the world. Money was never a factor for him - it was all about representing his boyhood club.

But what does the modern generation of fans think of the legend though?

I’m a Manchester United fan, born in October 1999 - more than six years after his debut against Brescia on 28th March 1993. He took to the field then as a youngster brimming with enthusiasm and the desire to make the Curva Sud sing his name.

For me, he is a symbol of loyalty and longevity; a player who wore his colours with pride every time he stepped onto the pitch at Stadio Olimpico.

For my generation, born in the late 90s, Totti represents something different; after all, we are used to the yearly splurge of money that sees the carousel of the world’s top footballers spinning.

But I like romanticism: the idea of a player playing for the same club for 24 years is unimaginable, but Totti defies the common path trodden by footballers.

If Ronaldo and Messi enthrall, Totti inspires in his pure and passionate love for Rome. This is a man who has seen change around him but whose love for the club has not changed an iota. He bleeds the blood of Rome; to him, Rome is everything he’s ever known, yet it’s all he wants to know. Who needs a change in scenery if the one you already love is everlasting?

Totti belongs to a different generation - and consequently I’ve hardly watched enough of his games to earn the right to even discuss his attributes as a footballer. After all, when he was winning the World Cup in 2006, I was just six years old.

But whenever I come across news on Roma, his name is inevitably mentioned. There was a period towards the end of last season when Totti seemed to save Roma every game, just as a king would save his city. Who knows what he may do at the end of this season, but when the day does finally come when he chooses to hang up his boots, it will be a huge loss for the club and the city, but also for the wider footballing world who’ve grown to adore Il Gladiatore.

The sun may be setting on the king’s career but his fairytale with his spiritual home will endure. Whatever position he takes up at the club, the spectre of Totti will remain over the Stadio Olimpico. If I had to emulate the achievements of one footballer, it’d be Totti: one club, forever. You can only find true love once - Totti symbolises this.

A true ‘bandiera’: Roma and Totti are now synonymous with one another. A true hero, and an inspiration for generations to come.

Sempre indeed.