Cristian Totti, the 19-year-old son of Italian football legend Francesco Totti, has announced his retirement from professional football.
According to the Spanish daily AS, Cristian Totti, who played as a striker, decided to retire from the game prematurely due to the overwhelming burden of being constantly compared to his iconic father and persistent online criticism targeting his physical appearance.
Despite having stints at notable clubs including his father’s former club, AS Roma, Frosinone, Rayo Vallecano, Avezzano, and Olbia, Cristian found it difficult to carve out his own identity on the pitch.
Instead of continuing in the limelight, he has opted for a quieter path, joining the Totti Soccer School, an academy run by his family, where he will help mentor the next generation of footballers.
While his talent was never in doubt, insiders say the psychological toll of being Francesco Totti’s son weighed heavily on him.
“The comparisons were relentless,” one source close to the family told AS. “No matter what Cristian did, he was always seen through the lens of his father’s legendary status.”
Francesco Totti, now 48, is an iconic figure in the football world. He spent his entire 25-year career at AS Roma, where he won a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia trophies, and two Supercoppa Italiana championships.
Totti is the league’s second-highest scorer of all time with 250 Serie A goals and sits sixth on the list of Italy’s all-time top scorers with 316 goals across all competitions.
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