Francesco Totti admits 2010 red-card kick on Mario Balotelli was planned

Updated: 18 Oct, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Francesco Totti admits 2010 red-card kick on Mario Balotelli was planned

Photo: Reuters

AS Roma icon Francesco Totti has made a startling confession about one of the most notorious moments of his career, admitting his red-carded kick on Mario Balotelli in the 2010 Coppa Italia final was planned rather than a split-second loss of temper.

Totti came off the bench in the Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan and was shown a straight red card in the 87th minute after a wild kick on Balotelli as Roma went on to lose the match 1-0.

Speaking candidly to former Italy team-mate Luca Toni on Amazon Prime Video Italia's podcast Fenomeni, the 47-year-old World Cup winner said his frustrations with Balotelli's on-field attitude had built up over time.

The Balotelli thing had been brewing for a while. He was young and phenomenal, but also so arrogant and presumptuous.

I just felt that day, given the chance, I'd send him flying into the stands.

I spoke to him later and apologised, we ended up laughing about it.

The incident - widely replayed and debated at the time - has long been cited as an example of Totti's fierce competitiveness and occasional volatility.

Two Sides of the Story

Balotelli has offered different explanations in the past, suggesting Totti's frustration may have been directed at his coach for not starting him in the game.

I don't think he was angry with me for that reason. He got angry with the coach who had not let him play from the beginning and that's why he was nervous.

A Complicated Legacy

The episode is part of a career that made Totti a Roma immortal: a club stalwart, talisman and one of Italy's most treasured number 10s.

His frankness on Fenomeni offers fresh perspective on his passion that sometimes boiled over on the pitch.

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