One that got away 🤦‍♂️: Francesco Totti to Real Madrid | OneFootball

As Francesco Totti walked around his beloved Stadio Olimpico on May 26, 2017, it signalled the end of an era in Rome and the end of an era for European football.

The last of the great one club men was calling it a day after an astonishing 25 years with the Giallorossi that saw him break countless records and become a legend in the Eternal City.

But it very nearly wasn’t going to be that way.

After leading Roma to only their third title in 2000/01 clubs from all over the continent were circling for Totti’s signature.

His boyhood side had failed to build on their historic Scudetto-winning campaign despite Totti being named Serie A Player of the Year in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

And it was in the latter year that Real Madrid and their cohort of Galacticos came calling.

President Florentino Perez has readily admitted that he tried to lure Totti to Santiago Bernabéu in the first few years of the 21st century, hoping that the playmaker would team up with Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham in one of the most star-studded XIs of all-time.

“He is one of the legends of football and of course I’d loved to sign him. Before my presidency begun, I called him to offer him a chance to move to Real Madrid.

“He replied that he couldn’t leave Roma and that he couldn’t join Real Madrid.”

Despite the untold riches on offer, the guarantee of trophies and a very real chance at winning the Ballon d’Or, Totti turned down Los Blancos.

Speaking after his retirement three years ago, Totti proclaimed that he never regretted his decision.

“In any case, I have never regretted my decisions. Not even from when I was 25 years old and Real Madrid called me at the time of the galácticos, although I did have a moment of uncertainty.

“Now, when I see some players from that Real Madrid side they say to me, ‘you were crazy, you rejected the best team in the world’.

“I made a decision for a love I don’t regret,” he continued. “Staying in Rome was a double victory. Playing 25 years wearing the shirt of the team I supported.”

Now that’s true love.