English Version of Totti's Autobiography Set for September 23rd Release

Following the end of his playing days in 2017, Francesco Totti had no shortage of career options as he embarked on the next phase of his life. From TV gigs to sporting ambassador roles and even a few offers to extend his playing career abroad, the world was Totti's oyster. But, the heart wants what it wants. And for Totti, that meant one thing: serving Roma. After accepting an assistant director role under Monchi for the 2017-2018 season, Totti seemed like he was being groomed to become Roma's eventual top shot caller, but the partnership quickly dissolved and Totti resigned from his post in June 2019.

While Totti initially dipped his toes in the player agent waters, the legendary Roman quickly pivoted to books, film, and television. In addition to the documentary chronicling his life and career with the Giallorossi, Mi Chiamo Francesco Totti, Totti's playing days were also the subject of a Sky dramatic miniseries, Speravo De Mori Prima. Taken with his 2018 autobiography, which was the basis for the award-winning documentary, Totti is starting to cobble together his own mini media empire.

However, considering that his books and films were produced solely in Italian, the market for Totti's life story was limited. Until now:

Earlier today, deCoubertin Books announced they are publishing an English version of Totti's autobiography, which has been rebranded Gladiator ahead of its September 23rd release date.

From the deCoubertin press release:

Published in English as Gladiator, Totti’s autobiography is a collaboration with Italy’s foremost sportswriter, Paolo Condo, and translated by Anthony Wright. The book was one of Italy’s bestselling books in 2018 and the accompanying documentary, My Name is Francesco Totti, won an Italian academy award for Best Documentary.

I’m beyond thrilled to have worked with Francesco and Paolo on their wonderful book and to be able to introduce it to an English audience,” said deCoubertin founder, James Corbett.

“It is one of the best footballer memoirs I’ve ever read, never mind worked on – full of heart and great stories – and is as much about being the physical embodiment of one of the world’s great cities as it is about being a footballing superstar.

“In a difficult year, the chance to work with a legend of the game and with such brilliant material, as well as the kindness and support of the authors and the team at their Italian publishers Rizzoli, has been a much needed antidote to the real world struggles. I hope it gets the success it merits.”

We've been waiting nearly three years for this news, so we'll have our Gladiator review up as soon as humanly possible after the 23rd.