Totti calls time on Italy career

AS Roma captain Francesco Totti has announced his decision to quit international football at the age of 30 "for physical reasons, not technical ones", having previously decided to take an extended break from the Italy team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals.

Final word
At a press conference, the striker said he no longer felt he could play for both Roma and Italy but was keen to underline that this was not down to any problems he had with Roberto Donadoni's coaching. "The word 'end' is not a good one," he said. "However, I took this decision for physical reasons, not for technical ones." Last summer's World Cup final win against France will thus remain his final international appearance for the Azzurri.

Physical reasons
Totti made his international debut in a friendly game against Switzerland in 1998 and ended up scoring nine goals in 58 appearances in total. "I've been thinking about [retiring] since the end of the World Cup and I have decided to retire, but not to create problems for the squad and the new technical staff," he added. "I am really sorry but it is the right decision because my health is the most important thing for me."

Roma first
The striker, who won the ESM Golden Shoe last season after scoring 26 league goals as Roma finished second in Serie A and won the Coppa Italia, is ready to embark upon his 16th consecutive season with the capital club, for whom he has scored 151 goals in Serie A. "I had to make a decision between Roma and the national team and Roma will always be my priority," he said. Italy are second in the UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying Group B, two points behind leaders France. The Azzurri will host Les Bleus in their next competitive match on September 8 and will visit fourth-placed Ukraine four days later.