By admin
The legend of Rome and Italy, Francesco Totti, has said that the World Cup without the Azzurri is like “Rome without the Colosseum”.
The former Roma captain, who was named Serie A ambassador by the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, was there with his new partner, Noemi Bocchi.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia before the award ceremony, he said that “the World Cup without Italy is like Rome without the Colosseum”.
“It is unusual, for us Italians, it is more than negative”, he continued.
“We will follow the World Cup in a different way, but it remains one of the competitions where great national teams compete”.
The 46-year-old won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 but is unsure who could win the World Cup in Qatar next month.
“France, Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Spain are some of the candidates, but there is no real favorite. Everything can happen in a World Cup and playing in December, you don’t know the level and physical condition of the players”.
Totti hopes Jose Mourinho will finish fourth, while Napoli, coached by rival coach Luciano Spalletti, will be the main contenders to win the title.
“If they continue like this, the other candidates will have no chance to win it”, admits the former number 10.
“Milan, Inter and Juventus will not give up, so it will be a good season until the end. It remains to be seen how the players will return from the World Cup, but if Napoli are consistent, it will be difficult to stop them.
Totti retired in 2017 after falling out with then Roma coach Spalletti, who also left the club at the end of the 2016/17 season.
Totti played his entire career at Roma where he scored 307 goals in 786 appearances and won the Serie A title once during the 2000/01 season.
