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AS Roma marked Francesco Totti's birthday with a 42-second video message on social media, a gesture that underscores the distance between the club and its former captain. The post carried only the slogan "Happy birthday Francesco"—a brief acknowledgment of a player who scored 307 goals and made 786 appearances in the Giallorossi shirt throughout his career, the only colours he ever wore as a player. The coldness of the greeting reflects the wider chill in Roma's relationship with Totti under Friedkin Group ownership. Where previous management pushed him out, the current regime keeps him at a remove—even as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has reportedly made clear he sees Totti as a resource rather than a burden. According to the article, Gasperini has discussed Totti's views on squad needs, including advice he offered: "I suggested Castro, a winger and a midfielder." Santiago Castro is currently used as a deputy to Donyell Malen. Despite Gasperini's support, the Friedkin ownership remains silent on any formal role for Totti, reportedly delegating peripheral matters to CEO Galantic—a figure who had only marginal contact with Totti during John Friedkin's time on Pallotta's board. The article notes that the ownership has expressed a wish to see Totti placed in a football governance role alongside Giovanni Malagò, though such an arrangement remains unresolved.

Francesco Totti, who turns 50 today, has disclosed in his new book Oltre that he personally recommended Santiago Castro to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini during a dinner in March. Castro, the Argentine forward who arrived this summer for €35 million from Bologna, was one of three players Totti suggested to Gasperini at that meeting. Totti told Gasperini: "I recommended an attacker to you, Castro, a winger and a midfielder." Gasperini's response was positive on the forward, saying: "Castro I really like too, I think we see football the same way." The coach also noted concerns about one of the other suggestions, saying: "The winger costs a lot, I hadn't thought about the midfielder and it wouldn't be a bad idea." The book also covers other moments from Totti's life, including a clash with Spalletti, the beginning of his relationship with Noemi, and the possibility of a return to Roma.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino paid tribute to Francesco Totti on his 50th birthday with a social media post celebrating the Roma legend's unparalleled connection to the club and his place in global football. Infantino's message highlighted Totti's dual legacy: his entire career devoted to Roma and his role as a 2006 FIFA World Cup champion with Italy. The FIFA President described Totti's bond with Roma as transcending conventional hierarchy. "For Roma you are more than a king, a king who comes from the people," Infantino wrote. "For Italy you are one of the magnificent Champions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Two stories, one heart." Infantino added that Totti's influence would endure beyond time and place, and compared his artistry to that of a master chef in football. "You have done the spoon: you were a wonderful chef of football. Like you, in history, very few flags in the world," Infantino concluded in his birthday message. "Happy birthday, dear Francesco Totti."