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In the season 2005-2006, Roma’s new coach Luciano Spalletti, went with a 4–2–3–1 formation, deploying Totti in a newer, more offensive role as a lone striker. Despite his new attacking role, Totti usually dropped deep to pick up the ball in midfield rather than operating in the penalty area, thus creating space for the attacking midfielders and wingers to making offensive runs; the resulting system was later described as a 4–6–0, while Totti’s particular attacking role was dubbed the “false-9”. In this new position, Totti continued to score frequently, managing 15 goals in 24 league matches. In the spring of 2005, he renewed his contract until 2010, with an annual salary of €5.4 million. On 19 February 2006, he suffered a fracture of his left fibula and ligament damage during a match against Empoli after being fouled by Richard Vanigli. Totti was at risk of missing the 2006 World Cup, but returned to the side on 11 May 2006 as a substitute in Roma’s 3–1 Coppa Italia final defeat to Inter. A metal plate had been attached to his ankle during surgery, but doctors decided not to operate again and remove it following Totti’s return, concurring that the plate would not affect his game. He was given off-label treatments of teriparatide to speed-up his fracture recovery.
Things to Know:
Totti was born in Rome to parents Lorenzo and Fiorella Totti. He was raised in the Porta Metronia neighbourhood. As a youngster he idolised ex-Roma captain Giuseppe Giannini, and regularly played football with older boys. Totti began to play youth team football at the age of 8, with Fortitudo, later joining Smit Trastevere and Lodigiani. After he came to the attention of scouts, his mother refused a lucrative offer from Milan in order to keep him in his home town. Although his youth club initially had come to an agreement to sell Totti to the Lazio youth side, one of Roma’s youth coaches, Gildo Giannini, persuaded his parents to let him join the Roma youth squad in 1989.
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Totti intended to retire from international football after the 2006 World Cup, but reneged on his decision and remained undecided on his future for over a year, not being called up in the meantime. He made his retirement official on 20 July 2007, at the beginning of the 2007–08 Serie A season, due to recurring physical problems and in order to focus solely on club play with Roma. Italy’s coach at the time, Roberto Donadoni, attempted to get Totti to change his mind for the remaining Euro 2008 qualifiers but was not successful.
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These boots were worn by Francesco Totti uniquely during some Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006” games including the games against Czech Republic, Australia, Germany and during the Final game against France which took place in Berlin on July 9th 2006. This pair of boots is absolutely unique, released in one pair only. It has a special sole exclusively made for the player for the World Cup due his injury happened few months before the competition. It is a very special soft sole, with smaller studs made by Diadora to make the player’s run smoother. Totti used this kind of sole only during the World Cup and only in the very first games of the season 2006/2007, but on a different style of boots. The special “Germany 2006” sided tag on boots makes these boots an authentic piece of football history. There is also a similar version of these boots that Totti used during World Cup trainings and pre World Cup friendly games with player’s signature on tongue and without the “Germany 2006” tag on side. Totti used his number 10 on tongue and the tag only during the official World Cup games. Number “10” on tongue is written in the same font of name sets and numbers of Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006” Italy National Team’s shirts, which is very weird, considering that the font belonged to Puma and not to Diadora. So we assume that Diadora requested to be allowed to use it on Totti’s boots.
Usual Francesco Totti’s sole
Francesco Totti’s World Cup 2006sole