(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Francesco Totti has played under 17 different coaches at AS Roma but the talismanic forward, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Tuesday, said that he had never fallen out with any of them.
Totti, who scored his 250th Serie A goal for the club on Sunday, is in his 25th season at his only professional club and there has often been speculation about how much influence he wields behind the scenes.
But the 2006 World Cup winner, who according to former Roma coach Rudi Garcia could be more popular in Rome than the Pope, played down his influence as he gave a television interview.
"I don't have the command over anyone or anybody, I respect them all," he said. "My secret is my passion...
"I have never picked a fight with a coach, there have of course been arguments but that has been as far as it goes. I have never brought down a coach, nor have I made the club sign a coach that I like. I have a high regard for them all."
Totti's past coaches at Roma have included Cesare Prandelli, who later went on to coach Italy, current Leicester City coach Claudio Ranieri, former Germany coach Rudi Voeller and current Barcelona coach Luis Enrique.
Totti, who made his debut under Vujadin Boskov as a 16-year-old in 1993, said the closest he came to leaving Roma was in 2003 under Fabio Capello.
"When Capello was here, I was really close to moving to Real Madrid," he said. "But my family and friends made me reflect on it and told me there are many things here I would not find in Madrid and I decided to stay at Roma."
Totti, who recently renewed his contract until the end of this season is 24 goals short of Silvio Piola's record total of 274 Serie A goals, set in the 1950s, but said he could not envisage himself playing for another two years.
"I always give everything in training. Some injuries have slowed me down over the years, but I still have the desire, the passion and I see it as fun during the week," he said.
"I still come to Trigoria (Roma's training ground) with a smile on my face every day."
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