MILAN: Pele, Diego Maradona, Alex Ferguson and a host of famous football personalities have paid tribute to Roma legend Francesco Totti throughout his storied career.
Below is a selection of their thoughts on the 40-year-old Italian icon, who retired after completing his 25th and final season with the Serie A club on Sunday:
Alex Ferguson, formerly Manchester United manager: “Totti is the symbol of Roma, just like Ryan Giggs was at Manchester United.”
Argentina legend Diego Maradona: “At his best, Totti was the world’s number one.”
Totti on Maradona’s appraisal of Totti: “After Maradona said I was the best player he’d seen in his life, I can retire now too.”
Retired Liverpool great Steven Gerrard on Totti: “I think he would agree that I play football for the people, and to make the people happy. The most important thing for me is to win and have success and share it with my people, the people of my city. That’s what makes me want to play football and win, and I’m sure Francesco, over the years, his buzz and his happiness comes from making the Roma people happy. And that’s where we’re similar.”
Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, a former rival at Lazio, on Totti: “If you ask me, Totti has been the best player in Italian football for the zast 20 years. And I’m sure he’ll be just as influential on the other side of the pitch.”
