Totti on Spalletti feud, Balotelli battle, and why Roma title better than World Cup

Francesco Totti reveals all about the feud with Luciano Spalletti, why kicking Mario Balotelli had been ‘brewing for a while,’ and that Roma’s Scudetto was better than Italy’s World Cup.

The legend sat down with his fellow 2006 World Cup winner Luca Toni for the podcast Fenomeni, hosted by Amazon Prime Video Italia, and looked back over his long career.

He is someone who managed to achieve every dream, but surprisingly had a confession to make when it came to his absolute highlight.

“I didn’t just win the Scudetto, I won it with my jersey, as the Roma shirt is drawn deep into my skin,” said Totti.

“Experiencing that as captain, symbol of Roma and being a Romanista, was indescribable. Winning the World Cup and the Scudetto are two dreams that every player wants to make happen.

“Some might say I am crazy, but honestly, I put the Scudetto just a level above winning the World Cup.”

His experiences with Italy other than the World Cup were somewhat mixed, including a ban for spitting at Denmark’s Christian Poulsen during EURO 2024.

“I still don’t even realise that I did that. I am ashamed, it was a terrible gesture that a player should never accept, because it’s totally undignified,” confessed Totti.

Yet it was hardly the only time he has lost his temper on the field, famously kicking Mario Balotelli during a Coppa Italia Final against Inter, and punching Francesco Colonnese.

“The Balotelli thing had been brewing for a while. He was young and phenomenal, but also so arrogant and presumptuous. I just felt that day, given the chance, I’d send him flying into the stands. I spoke to him later and apologised, we ended up laughing about it.

“As for Colonnese, he told me that Cristian was not my real son, and at that point I just lost it.”

Of course, no look back with Totti is complete without covering his tempestuous rapport with Spalletti, which broke down completely during his final year at Roma.

“In my view, Spalletti arrived in 2016 with the express idea of making me retire, backed by the club. There were always problems with him, he was totally different to the coach I had worked with in 2005,” said the Roma icon.

“Perhaps he was convinced that I had got him fired when they brought in Claudio Ranieri, but that wasn’t true. The directors called me and other players to ask if we preferred Mancini, Ranieri or someone else.

“With my retirement, the club told me I had to hang up my boots. One day they came to my house to tell me I would be playing my final derby. I am not stupid, I knew that sooner or later I’d have to quit, but I still felt good in my head and my legs.

“Perhaps on that occasion, I was more let down by Roma than Spalletti. I think I was a problem for them. I said I’d happily play for free, I’d have given anything for Roma.”

The moment he finally did hang up his boots was traumatic for Totti, who felt himself suddenly all at sea.

“I felt like there was nothing holding me up. Football players are creatures of habit, we do the same thing every day, and I was just lost. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I cried every day for three weeks,” revealed Totti.

“I was scared, cold with everyone, I’d re-read my farewell letter to the crowd and cry. I was convinced I’d be given a testimonial match, but after the emotions of that day at the Stadio Olimpico, I realised there could be no other goodbye to football and to Roma. It was like a child leaving his mother that day.”