Totti bids goodbye to Roma after remarkable 25-season career

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Sun, 28 May 2017 - 07:06 GMT

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Sun, 28 May 2017 - 07:06 GMT

Francesco Totti file photo

Francesco Totti file photo

ROME - 28 May 2017: Francesco Totti bid farewell to Roma after a remarkable 25-season career with his hometown club on Sunday, contributing to a 3-2 win over Genoa that secured the Giallorossi a spot in the Champions League.

Almost 60,000 fans inside the Stadio Olimpico stood up and cheered when Totti replaced Mohamed Salah in the 54th minute.

After the match, a huge No. 10 jersey with Totti's name on it was unveiled at the center of the pitch. All of Roma's players put on shirts featuring Totti's No. 10 while the electronic publicity boards lining the pitch read, "Grazie Capitano."

Totti then walked around the stadium's athletic track while holding third child Isabel in his arms, with his other two children and wife Ilary Blasi accompanying him.

At one point, Totti stopped and leaned on the publicity barriers and just stared into the stands. Then he cried on Blasi's shoulder.

Before kickoff, Totti went and saluted Roma's hard-core "ultra" fans in the "curva sud" — southern end — of the stadium.

After posing for pictures, the 40-year-old Totti took his spot on the bench as many fans cried.

Roma's win secured second place.
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti received a long series of boos and whistles — linked to how he has used Totti sparingly this season — when he was introduced before the match.

While Totti has declared this is his final match with Roma, he has not said he will retire from football, sparking speculation he could end his career with another squad.
Thousands of fans wore Totti's No. 10 shirt — in white or red — while others had T-shirts that read simply, "captain forever."

Roma wore special shirts featuring a dedication to Totti, and so did Genoa.
On the back of Genoa's shirts, a message read, "25 seasons with only one shirt, 785 appearances, 307 goals, world champion in 2006. Francesco Totti is part of football history."

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