Candela on 50 years of Totti: winning the Scudetto together and celebrating at the Circus Maximus

Francesco Totti turned 50 today, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino was among those offering congratulations on social media. Infantino posted several photographs of the Roma legend alongside a lengthy message celebrating his career and legacy. Infantino's tribute emphasized Totti's unwavering devotion to Roma and his place in Italian football history. The FIFA president described him as someone whose impact extends far beyond the pitch, highlighting his role as a symbol of the club and as a member of Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning squad. Infantino wrote: "Rome, the Azzurri, and then nothing else, and that is everything. Your all, an unconditional love, at times sweet, sometimes rebellious, always pure, unassailable. Indissoluble, enormous. For Rome you are more than a king – a king who comes from the people – for the Azzurri one of the magnificent Champions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup: two stories, one heart, the concept of always applied to sport, because you will be talked about beyond the end of horizons, of time. You did the chip, you were a wonderful chef of football. Like you, in history, very few flags in the world. Happy birthday, dear Francesco Totti."

Francesco Totti marked his 50th birthday on 27 September reflecting on a career spent entirely at AS Roma. The former captain, born on 27 September 1976 and wearing the same giallorossi shirt for 25 of those 50 years, granted a lengthy interview to Corriere dello Sport director Ivan Zazzaroni to discuss the most intimate moments of his time at the club and his relationship with the city. Totti revisited his final day as a player, seated on the steps of the Olimpico stadium. "I was afraid, I said so," he recalled. "In the end when you turn the page you never know what you might find. In that moment I thought back to all 25 years spent with Roma, with the same shirt, with the people." On a potential return to the club in an executive role, he stated: "It's not a sore point. I've always said that marriages are always made by two people." He explained his departure from a club position: "Being in the society and doing nothing, mentally the way I am, made me feel useless. One extra person." Totti addressed the number 10 shirt and Paulo Dybala's claim to it. "I think you don't give out a 10 when you've had 5 or 6 good matches. You have to organise around an important player who stays at Roma for a long time, not just passing through." He spoke of reconciliation with Luciano Spalletti, saying: "I made mistakes too. As you grow you understand your errors." Most significantly on his birthday, he said: "Roma gave me the chance to realise my dream. To wear one shirt only, the number 10, and to be captain. I owe everything to the city of Rome—I've always felt protected and I still do. We did something different, something exceptional."

Vincent Candela, Francesco Totti's teammate for eight seasons and close friend, has shared his memories of the Roma legend on his 50th birthday today. Speaking to Il Tempo, the former French left-back recalled Totti as both a player and a person, describing how he approached the most intense matches. "At first he speaks little, but when you get to know him you discover a fun person," Candela said. "Totti always makes a certain impression, but he's approachable, a man of the people. I never saw him refuse an autograph." Candela noted that Totti's popularity never changed his connection with supporters. On receiving the captain's armband from Aldair, Totti was initially uncomfortable with the role. "He was a man of few words, though he observed everything. He was more of a leader on the pitch, where he always asked for the ball especially in moments of difficulty." Candela also reflected on Totti's particular attachment to the Derby della Capitale, which the Roma native felt deeply but tried to conceal. Before derby matches, Totti and Candela would play football tennis to ease the tension—a habit that infuriated manager Fabio Capello. "He used to get furious," Candela recalled. For Totti's milestone birthday, Candela offered his wishes: "So much peace of mind. He always seems happy, but recently he has lived through some particular and certainly difficult moments."