Roma legendary captain Francesco Totti reveals he had the chance to join AC Milan on two occasions.
In a long interview with The Guardian, Italian football legend Francesco Totti discusses key moment during his long career and the chance to join AC Milan on two occasions.
First came an opportunity to join AC Milan’s youth system at 12, when sporting director Ariedo Braida turned up at his family’s front door, before leading clubs in Rome had shown such interest. At that time he and his parents rejected a 150m lira (€75,000) cheque that was too good to turn down.
Next was the 1996-97 season when Roma coach Carlos Bianchi wanted to sign Jari Litmanen to take Totti’s spot. At that time AC Milan were just crowned Serie A champions and Fabio Capello’s squad had an illustrious list of players like Maldini, Baresi, Weah, Savicevic, Boban and others.
“AC Milan were the most exciting team I had ever seen and the only one I fantasised about playing in“. Nevertheless, again Francesco Totti said no deciding to stay at Roma. In 2006, after winning the World Cup, he rejected an offer from Real Madrid that would have made him the highest paid player in the world at age 30.
The Italian attacking midfielder spent twenty-five years playing for only one team, something that is nearly impossible today. “I started out in different times. A different football,” says Totti. “A football made of love, of affection toward fans. Today it’s more business. You go where you can make more money”.
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