Currently embarked on his 24th tour of duty with Roma, today is the day that Francesco Totti officially becomes a card-carrying member of ‘The 40 Club’.
Having already maintained his phenomenal run of having scored in the last 23 consecutive Serie A seasons with a 93rd-minute winner against Sampdoria a few weeks back, Totti received a fitting herald from the only employers he’s even known…
The clock strikes midnight in Italy..
40 years ago today, a King was born.
King. Legend. Icon. Hero.
Happy birthday Francesco Totti! pic.twitter.com/zffrJqPHGZ
— Calcio AS Roma (@CalcioASRoma) September 26, 2016
Of course, Totti is also the only player featured in FIFA 96 who is still active today. The second-to-last was Brad Friedel, who bowed out at the end of the 2014/15 season.
Oh, and there’s also the small matter of having scored 306 goals in 763 appearances since his senior debut in 1993.
That’s some feat.
Il Gladiatore’s passage into middle age has been greeted by many of football’s great and good, but they don’t come much greater or much gooder than Lionel Messi, who recorded a special video message for the Roma legend on his big day…
Gli auguri di Leo Messi a Francesco #Totti @Tottipress @TeamMessi #Totti40 pic.twitter.com/Yw8yXczaia
— Michele Gazzetti (@MicheleGazzetti) September 27, 2016
“Hello Francesco, I want to wish you a very happy birthday,” Messi beams.
“I hope you have a wonderful day. I’ve always admired you, and even more so on the day I met you.
“A big hug!”
Hear hear. The man’s a modern miracle.
Suggested further reading…
In The Beginning: 17 y/o Francesco Totti Scores His First Ever Goal For Roma, 1994 (Video)