The son of a legendary football player has made the decision to hang up his boots at the tender age of 19.
While the likes of Paolo Maldini and Kasper Schmeichel have proven that young players can break out of the enormous shadows casted by their fathers, history has proven that being the son of a legendary player is no guarantee of success.
One player who was immediately burdened with the weight of expectation was Cristian Totti, the son of the legendary former Roma star Francesco.
The younger Totti was pictured alongside his father at the Stadio Olimpico when Francesco bowed out following 786 appearances for the club in 2017.
After beginning his career at the same club his father earned his illustrious status with, the younger Totti departed Roma in 2023 without making a senior appearance.
His career continued with a spell at Spanish side Rayo Vallecano before returning to Italy.
Francesco Totti’s son Cristian(pictured) has retired from football at the age of just 19
Cristian(right) was on the pitch as Francesco waved goodbye to Roma in 2017 after nearly three decades at the club
The teenager is now set to join his elder brother Riccardo as part of the ‘Totti Soccer School’
Totti has been without a club since leaving fourth-tier side Olbia last year and has now announced his retirement from football.
However, despite calling time on his playing career, the younger Totti will remain in football.
The 19-year-old will serve alongside his older brother Riccardo as part of the ‘Totti Soccer School’ in his native Italy.
Cristian’s role will see him responsible for identifying young talent and working closely alongside the academy’s general manager Claudio D’Ulisse.
Former AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia served as the younger Totti’s manager at Olbia and insisted that he had what it took for a successful playing career.
‘I always believed in him.’ Amelia told AS.
‘I wanted him because he was a player with great skills. A midfielder capable of creating plays, reading between the defensive lines, creating, but also good at winning the ball back when he wasn’t in possession.
‘In my opinion, he would have had a very good playing career in Serie C and Serie B.
‘Being Totti’s son influenced his assessments. There was too much pressure.’
