Francesco Totti's son retires from football aged 19 due to surname burden

Updated: 29 Jul, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Francesco Totti's son retires from football aged 19 due to surname burden

Photo: Nexus Sports

Cristian Totti, son of AS Roma legend Francesco Totti, has officially stepped away from football at just 19 years old, ending a career burdened by expectation and public scrutiny.

Despite coming through the youth ranks at Roma and spells at Frosinone, Rayo Vallecano, and most recently Olbia in Italy's Serie D, the youngster has now decided to hang up his boots.

Yes, I'm retiring - I've made my decision.

Whilst many dreamed of seeing him emulate his father's legacy, Cristian's career struggled to gain momentum.

Short-lived stints, media pressure, and constant comparisons proved difficult to overcome.

Life After Football Begins at Home

Though he's stepping away from the pitch, Cristian isn't walking away from football entirely.

He has accepted a new role at the Totti Soccer School, a youth academy founded by his father Francesco and managed by his uncle Riccardo.

He'll now work alongside director Claudio D'Ulysse in scouting young talents and supporting academy development.

The Career That Could Have Been

Cristian's football journey started at Roma's academy, where appearances were limited.

He managed just two matches in the U18s during one season.

A brief switch to Frosinone's Primavera squad offered marginal improvement with four matches and one goal.

He later moved to Spain with Rayo's youth side, but his spell there made headlines more for personal disputes in Madrid than any action on the pitch.

A return to Italy in mid-2024 saw him sign briefly with Avezzano before joining Olbia in Serie D.

Olbia, Expectations and Online Backlash

At Olbia, Cristian was reunited with former Frosinone coach Marco Amelia.

The World Cup-winning goalkeeper praised Cristian's vision and positional intelligence.

He could read between the lines, build play and even recover possession. He had the potential for a solid Serie C or B career.

But the Olbia spell was short-lived.

Amelia was sacked in September 2024, and Cristian left in December after just six matches, 156 minutes of football, and a media storm surrounding his physical condition.

A short clip shared on social media triggered a wave of body-shaming comments, with fans unfairly criticising his appearance.

The reality, according to those close to him, was that Cristian maintained a perfectly normal athletic physique.

His father Francesco and partner Noemi Bocchi were later seen in the stands showing support, but the damage had been done.

The Burden of the Totti Name

According to Amelia, Cristian's famous surname was both a blessing and a curse.

Being Francesco Totti's son affected how people judged him.

Expectations were always far too high.

Cristian, though, never publicly complained about the pressure.

It was the outside world that projected greatness onto him, long before he had a chance to build his own path.

From Gossip to Goodbye

Unfortunately, Cristian's name has often featured more in gossip columns than football reports.

During his parents' very public separation, the spotlight followed him relentlessly.

Family parties, birthday posts and the lack of a "family photo" at his sister Chanel's 18th celebration fuelled tabloid speculation.

Despite the chaos, Cristian's passion for the game never faded as his WhatsApp status still features a football emoji and a heart.

Now, his boots will stay on the shelf - but the game remains close.

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