Il Capitano
Francesco Totti added another piece of hardware to the illustrious trophy cabinet he is building in Rome. After Ruud van Nistelrooy was subbed off due to injury yesterday, it became official: Francesco Totti is the winner of the European Golden Boot. For a player like Thierry Henry or the vintage Ronaldo this might be an expected victory, but Totti has spent the majority of his career as a midfielder, or a trequartista, not an out-and-out striker - only the second to do that since the inception of the award in 1968 (as far as I can tell). Francesco is also only the second Italian to win the award, following Luca Toni last year. The trophy case in Italia is positively bulging right now. This is by no means something that people expected out of Totti in his career, at least I know I didn't. Especially after the brutal injury he suffered last year and then rushing himself back to join Italia at the World Cup - one could only imagine he would be positively drained this season. After all his years of service to Roma, and the many more anticipated, he deserves this individual accolade. He has sacrificed so much for club and country, but to some he may be another egoistic primadonna. To the Giallorossi faithful - he is our captain, our hero.
I) It's quite the coincidence that Totti won the Boot on June 17th, 2007. 6 years to the day that Roma beat Parma 3-0 to take home their third Scudetto. June 17th is going down in history as a glorious one for Roma. In 2012(including two leap days), Sunday June 17th is looking to be something very special. Clear your calendars.
II) A Compilation of Years Past: Vintage Totti
III) Il Gladiatore. The only video I could find with Totti's very first Roma goal in 1995 v Foggia. The rest is pretty cool.
IV) Very cool video showing the ankle break and rehab process leading up to his penalty against Australia in Germany. What he has accomplished this year is nothing short of amazing considering that injury. Chills.
Grazie Totti, il nostro capitano, il nostro eroe.