Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti’s exploits for Juventus and Roma respectively will never be forgotten in Serie A, and their influence goes way beyond the pitch.
Indeed, a Facebook community group was created to celebrate these two legends and a friendly match was set up last weekend which was played out in front of 14,000 fans at the Stadio Paolo Mazza in Ferrara.
Impromptu match
Captained by decorated players Del Piero and Totti, the match saw players dress in their favourite retro kits which was a compulsory requirement.
This came about after diehard football fans set up a Facebook to mark their achievements, and Del Piero and Totti were both part of vintage teams during the mid-1990s and 2000s.
Of the other players that were part of the game, some stopped to sign autographs for throngs of supporters who wanted to see their favourite ex-pros in action.
Speaking about the significance of the game itself, former Inter midfielder, Georgios Karagounis said: “It is good to see a lot of friends after a long time and it is great for the audience too, because they come from all around Italy and we build a huge party.
“It is a great community. It doesn’t matter the colours, and maybe it would be great if this message would go across all the football universe.”
Paying tribute to past legends
With 438 Serie A goals between them, Del Piero and Totti electrified Italy’s top-flight division, and they were a joy for the fans to watch when in full flow. Defenders might not necessarily agree, however, as they bedazzled them with their magic.
Del Piero was the perfect No.10. He had the vision to pick out the perfect pass, and he had everything in his locker. The Italian was usually pinpoint from dead-ball situations, and he was named Serie A footballer of the year for the 1997/98 campaign. During his time at Juve, he lifted the Champions League, but he also suffered some heartache in Europe’s elite competition.
After leaving in 2012, Del Piero decided to swap the delights of Serie A for a more serene life playing Down Under for Sydney FC. Although he only spent one season in Australia, he still contributed seven goals in 19 appearances, and he helped to raise the profile of the A-League.
And Del Piero’s achievements will not have gone unnoticed in Australia. Indeed, nowadays, the Serie A has gained more traction and that is explained by the fact many of the top Australian bookies will run outrights for Italy’s top flight division for the forthcoming season. There will also be a raft of pre-match markets for bettors to tuck into. This includes bet365, which has a reliable live stream for watching the biggest games on the move.
As far as Totti is concerned, he was a one-club man, spending his entire career at Roma. Well, 19 years to be exact, and during that time, he won the Serie A title, two Coppa Italias, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. In total, he netted 250 times in 619 appearances, and he is worshipped by Roma fans.
An annual event?
Del Piero and Totti long secured their place in the Italian Football Hall of Fame, and events such as a legends match shouldn’t be a one-off. If it brings fans together, then it should be celebrated annually.
