Italy icon reveals why he turned down once-in-a-lifetime chance to join Real Madrid – ‘I chose my heart’ | OneFootball

AS Roma icon Francesco Totti has once again opened up about his famous decision to reject a move to Real Madrid at the peak of his powers, one of football’s most romantic ‘what if’ moments.

Speaking in the newly released documentary “Eroici! 100 Years of Passion and Sporting Stories” produced by Corriere dello Sport, the legendary Italian playmaker reflected on the intense love he held for Roma, the club where he spent his entire career, and why no amount of silverware or prestige could lure him away from the Stadio Olimpico.

“Everyone knows that Roma’s fans are different from any other fan base in Italy or Europe,” Totti said.

“I experienced something unique here in Rome. I was crowned in this city, and that was possible because of the fans. They gave me so much.”

Why he said no to Real Madrid?

Totti then acknowledged just how close he was to joining Real Madrid, a club synonymous with glamour, Champions League glory, and global superstardom.

“During my career, I had the chance to play for other teams, both in Italy and abroad. Abroad, especially Real Madrid, where a transfer was very, very close.”

Francesco Totti snubbed Real Madrid for AS Roma. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)

However, the man known as El Capitano chose differently not because of fear or indecision, but because of something deeper.

“It wasn’t a question of weakness,” he clarified. “It was a question of love. I chose my heart. I chose my life, which I have always dedicated to Roma, to the love I felt for these colours, for this shirt.”

His words will resonate with fans across generations, especially in today’s football landscape where loyalty has often taken a back seat to ambition.

Totti, who spent 25 years in Roma’s first team, turned down the greatest club in world football at a time when many would have seen it as an obvious step forward.

Real Madrid, for their part, were genuinely interested in bringing Totti to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The club saw him as the next Galactico, a player who could follow in the footsteps of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, and Ronaldo. But the Italian never crossed that line, and in doing so, cemented his place as one of football’s rare one-club icons.

Source: Mundo Deportivo