The son of Francesco Totti has quit football because of the expectation of living up to his famous father’s name. Cristian, 19, has called time on his career after leaving fourth-tier side Olbia last season.
After starting out at Roma, he was initially tipped to follow in the footsteps of his father. The 48-year-old spent his entire career at the Stadio Olimpico, making 786 appearances and firmly establishing himself as a club icon. He also won 58 caps for Italy and played in their 2006 World Cup win.
Totti Jr was pictured alongside his dad after he played his final Serie A game in May 2019. However, Cristian never made a senior appearance for the I Giallorossi and moved on to Spanish side Rayo Vallecano before returning to Italy.
Despite hanging up his boots, the teenager will remain in football, though. He will serve alongside his older brother Riccardo as part of the ‘Totti Soccer School’, based in Ostia Lido.
Cristian will be charged with identifying young talent and working alongside the academy’s general manager, Claudio D’Ulisse. His former coach at Olbia, Marco Amelia, had previously argued he had the ability to make it as a professional.
“I wanted him because he was a player with great skills,” he said. “A midfielder capable of creating plays, reading between the defensive lines, creating, but also good at winning the ball back when he wasn’t in possession.
“In my opinion, he would have had a very good playing career in Serie C and Serie B. Being Totti’s son influenced his assessments. There was too much pressure.”
Totti isn’t the first young star to have faced such pressure. Former Manchester United winger Jordi Cruyff’s career was plagued by constant comparisons to his father, while ex-Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel emulated his father by winning the Premier League. Ian Wright’s sons Shaun Wright-Phillips and Bradley Wright-Phillips both had successful careers.