Some goals remain fixed in a season’s memory because of the occasion; others stay with the player because of the movement required to make them. Francesco Totti has returned to one of his most cherished Roma finishes, choosing an Olimpico strike against Udinese over several more immediately celebrated moments from his career.
The coach and the club
Looking back on his years as Roma captain, Totti considered the finest goals he scored in the Giallorossi shirt. He acknowledged the importance of his goals in Genoa, Milan and the city derby, but said an Udinese match at the Olimpico holds a special place for him.
Roma won that day with Totti scoring twice. He recalled Gabriel Batistuta lifting the ball forward with a delicate touch, before Totti met it in the area. He could not be certain whether Valerio Bertotto had been marking him, but remembered controlling the ball with his back to goal and Morgan De Sanctis positioned behind him.
From there, Totti struck a half-volley into the far top corner. For a forward identified with decisive goals and moments of theatre, the finish mattered for more than its destination.
“Rather than concentrating on the top corner, I would focus on the body position,” Totti said, explaining why that Udinese goal remains among the most satisfying of his Roma career.
