"The Right Choice": "I chose Roma but my family preferred Lazio" - Totti

Francesco Totti, an Italian former professional footballer. Played for Italian Serie A side Roma and the Italy National Team as an attacking midfielder or second striker. Totti spent his whole career at Roma, winning one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia titles and two SuperCoppa Italiana titles. He is the second highest scorer of all time in the history of Italian League with 250 goals. In Roma's history, Totti remains the top goalscorer and most capped. Photo: Getty

Francesco Totti has revealed he was close to leaving Roma in 2003 and that his family initially wanted him to join Lazio.

The Giallorossi Legend retired as a one-club
man after the 2016-17 season, scoring 307 goals in 785 games during his career in the Eternal City.

"My mother was a Lazio fan because of my grandmother," he told the Spanish Magazine Libero.

"I chose Roma, but my family would have preferred Lazio because they would have paid me. Fortunately, I made the right choice.

"Real Madrid offered me an amount to go there. Although, something like €20m or €25m, and a lot of money to Roma. I was 80% sure I would leave, as I was going through my best moment with Roma.

"They offered me a lot, anything, even Figo's No 10, as they would sell him to Inter.

"In the end [President Franco] Sensi spoke to me, we clarified everything...and I stayed. It was a choice from heart.

"I felt like a great player."
Football-Italia