Cristian Totti and the common tragedy of the 'F1' generation on the pitch

Cristian Totti retired at the age of 19.

At the age of 19, Cristian - son of Francesco Totti - ended his football dream, a dream that had not yet blossomed and quickly faded. For any young player, 19 years old is the time of desire to rise up. But for Cristian, that journey was weighed down by the name Totti - the monument of AS Roma and Italian football. Living and playing under that giant shadow is an immeasurable pressure, enough to suffocate the confidence of a player who has not yet had time to assert himself.

The pressure is named Totti

In the 2023/24 season, Cristian played for Olbia in Serie D with the hope of finding passion and opportunity again. But instead of being seen as a growing talent, Cristian was constantly compared to his legendary father.

A controversial video about his fitness has cast doubt on the public, although Cristian has always maintained that he is physically fit enough for professional football. “I can’t say anything more. Yes, I have decided to stop playing football,” Cristian said with the heaviness of someone who has never had the chance to be judged fairly.

Although his football dream is over, Cristian has not left football. He has turned his attention to coaching and youth development at the academy founded by Totti, now managed by his uncle Riccardo. Alongside CEO Claudio D'Ulisse, Cristian will scout and mentor new talent - perhaps a way to continue living the football dream in a different form.

Totti's son has yet to overcome the great shadow of his great father.

Before Olbia, Cristian played for Roma's youth team but failed to make an impact. Short spells at Frosinone and Rayo Vallecano (Spain) also failed to help him develop. Even when coached by former goalkeeper Marco Amelia, Cristian chose to stop after only a few months in Serie D.

Amelia said frankly: "Cristian can find a place in Serie C or B, but the name Totti makes every assessment of him many times more strict."

The obsession of "family tradition"

Cristian is not an uncommon case. The football world has seen many "rich kids" stumble before huge expectations. In France, Enzo Zidane - the eldest son of Zinedine Zidane - was expected to play for Juventus and Real Madrid's youth teams. But in the end, he retired at the age of 29 in 2024 to focus on business. Zidane's three other children - Luca, Theo and Elyaz - are still playing football but only at the level of "average players".

In England, Romeo Beckham also brought regret. Having tried out for Arsenal's youth team in 2014, Romeo was released after a year, then turned to tennis before returning to the pitch with Inter Miami and Brentford. However, by 2024, he had officially hung up his boots to pursue fashion . Previously, his brother Brooklyn Beckham had left football early at the age of 16 because he could not meet professional requirements.

The son of the legendary Zinedine Zidane has had a difficult career.

Of course, not all sons of legends fail. Federico Chiesa, son of former player Enrico Chiesa, was key to Italy winning Euro 2021. Marcus Thuram, son of Lilian Thuram, is also flying high with Inter Milan, appearing in the recent Champions League final. But such successful cases are rare, because the pressure of family legacy is often too great compared to the natural development of a young player.

Cristian Totti ended his career without leaving a mark, but his story shows that football is not only about talent - but also about freedom, not being bound by traditional expectations. Perhaps, leaving the pitch will help Cristian find himself, instead of always being "Totti's son" in the eyes of fans.

Source: https://znews.vn/cristian-totti-va-bi-kich-chung-cua-the-he-f1-san-co-post1572205.html