Love Over Money

Francesco Totti opened up once again about one of the most talked-about moments of his career — his almost-transfer to Real Madrid.

In an intimate talk at Prime Sport, hosted by his friend and former teammate Luca Toni, the eternal AS Roma captain revisited the decisions that shaped his footballing life.

“In 2004, I could have gone to Real Madrid. I was very close — just one step away from signing. My heart and my love for the people prevailed,” confessed the Italian, making it clear that loyalty mattered more than money.
Throughout his career, Totti turned down countless offers, including a huge one from the MLS and another from Torino before his farewell.

A Lifetime With Roma

Totti recalled that his story could have taken a very different path as a child.
“When I was 12, Milan came for me. My mother wanted to protect me and didn’t let me go,” he said. That decision became the starting point of an unrepeatable legacy: one club, one shirt, one city that turned him into a legend.

“From the very beginning, I thought: I was born here and I’ll die here. It will be hard to find another man who did what I did for my people and my shirt,” he added proudly.

A Farewell That Hurt More Than Any Defeat

Not everything was glory at the end of his Roma journey. The former player admitted his departure from the club hurt more than any loss.
“Spalletti came to Roma to push me out, and the club supported him. They came to my house to tell me I’d play my last derby,” he recalled with emotion.

Still, Totti holds no grudges: “Maybe that time Roma disappointed me more than Spalletti. I told them I’d even play for free. For Roma, I’d give everything.”

A sentence that says it all — Totti wasn’t just a Roma player. He was Roma itself.