Francesco Totti reaches 50 on 27 September, a birthday that arrives as Roma begin the season marking their centenary and gives the city another occasion to measure the lasting place of its former captain. Twenty-five years in one senior shirt, the Scudetto of 2001 and a record-filled career have made Totti a figure shared across generations, well beyond Roma’s supporters.
Key takeaways
- Totti is celebrating his 50th birthday in Las Vegas with his closest family members.
- Roma began the tribute early in the morning with an “AlfabeTotti” feature on the club’s official channels.
- Messages arrived from former teammates and football figures including Daniele De Rossi, Alessandro Del Piero, Vincent Candela, Antonio Carlos Zago and Bruno Conti.
- A new central Rome mural shows Totti in the 2001 title-winning kit, with a “50” badge on the sleeve.
- The former Roma captain is expected back in Rome shortly, while Noemi Bocchi prepares for Ballando con le stelle.
A birthday that belongs to Roma
The tributes began from midnight in Italy, even with Totti and his family operating on Las Vegas time. Social media filled quickly with memories from former colleagues, friends, entertainers and supporters, reflecting a bond that has long extended beyond the Grande Raccordo Anulare.
Roma’s own celebration began at 8am with an alphabet-style homage to their iconic number 10. It is a fitting gesture in a campaign that opens the club’s hundredth year, with Totti’s story still inseparable from the modern identity of the Giallorossi.
His family added more personal messages from the United States. Noemi Bocchi posted a photograph with Totti alongside Franco Battiato’s “La Cura”, writing that she did not seek a perfect life but wanted her life with him, before wishing him a happy birthday and declaring her love.
His son Cristian described the milestone as an important one, but said that Totti would always simply be his father to him. Chanel shared an older family image of Totti with her and Cristian as children, accompanied by Adele’s “When We Were Young”.
There was affection, too, from the football family that grew around him at Roma. Candela wished him peace and said he deserved the best. Zago called him unique, like Roma, while Bruno Conti sent a brief but warm birthday message. Giuseppe Giannini, Aldair, Antonello Venditti and Carlo Verdone were also among those marking the occasion.
Las Vegas interlude before the return to work
The gathering in Nevada is intended to be a short stay rather than the large-scale celebration held for Totti’s 40th birthday. The family shared moments from their private-jet journey, their arrival in the United States and dinner at the Bellagio hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, but the plan is for a smaller occasion with those closest to him.
After the publication of his book, Oltre, and the finalisation of his divorce from Ilary Blasi, Totti has chosen a more private setting for this landmark birthday. Bocchi will soon return to Italy for rehearsals ahead of the new edition of Ballando con le stelle.
Rome, meanwhile, has added a permanent public note to the occasion. Artist Harry Grab has created a mural depicting Totti in Roma’s 2001 Scudetto shirt, carrying the club’s old crest under his arm and wearing a commemorative “50” patch.
Totti is then due to resume his work with Maxima, whose basketball Serie A campaign begins against Napoli at 18:15 on the day of his birthday. Even on a day shaped by memories of the number 10, the rhythm of sport and club life continues.
