Totti brands Roma’s plan to hand number ten to Dybala as idiotic
Inside the Stadio Olimpico, the buzz over Paulo Dybala’s arrival turned sour when news emerged that Roma intended the legendary number ten to be his. Francesco Totti, the club’s one‑club icon, erupted in his freshly published autobiography, branding the proposal ‘idiotic’ and rejecting any hand‑over.
Totti’s bond with the Giallorossi
Francesco Totti is described as an entity for Roma, having devoted his entire career to the Giallorossi. He turned down offers from European giants and helped the club win titles with goals and assists. His more than twenty‑year spell ended in 2017, yet the iconic number ten was never formally retired and has remained unworn since. His departure in 2017 marked the end of an era for the club.
Dybala’s arrival and the number ten proposal
In 2022 Roma completed one of its most high‑profile signings by bringing Paulo Dybala from Juventus. The Argentine had long worn the revered number ten in Turin, a shirt previously emblazoned by Alessandro Del Piero. Club officials reportedly considered assigning the same number to Dybala for his debut in the capital. The proposal sparked intense debate among supporters.
Totti lashes out at the club
Totti revealed in his autobiography, released this week, that he learned the board wanted Dybala to inherit the number ten. He wrote, “Vocês são todos idiotas”, condemning the plan as foolish. He added, “Desde que me fizeram parar, na minha equipe do coração, ninguém mais usou a minha camisa”, stressing that supporters, not the club, guard the symbol. He felt the decision was taken without his consent.
Why Totti rejects the handover
According to the former striker, the club tried to make it appear that he would personally hand the shirt to Dybala. He argued that such a gesture would thrust undue pressure on the Argentine, who ultimately kept the number twenty‑one. Totti told the media, “Se vocês tiverem coragem, deem a ele”, but insisted he would not be involved in the decision. He warned that the shirt would inevitably provoke comparisons with him.
Keeping the number alive for a Roman
Totti is opposed to retiring the number ten, believing it should stay available for any youngster dreaming of wearing it. He said, “Aposentá‑la seria como negar um sonho maravilhoso às crianças”, and expressed a wish for a new Roman to inherit the badge. He prefers the shirt be given to a player born and raised in Rome, capable of serving the club for fifteen or twenty years, rather than a short‑term foreign signing.
Other retired numbers at Roma
Roma has previously retired other numbers, most notably Aldair’s number six after his thirteen‑year spell. The badge remained unused until Aldair handed it to Kevin Strootman in 2014, who wore it until 2018, after which Chris Smalling took it from 2019 to last season. Since then the number six has again been left vacant, mirroring the current status of the number ten.