Francesco Totti Switches from Football to Basketball: Joins Maxima Roma Project

“I had opportunities in the world of football, but I was never really convinced,” Totti said during his official presentation. He noted that while he held positive discussions with Fédération italienne de football president Giovanni Malagò, who was elected to lead the federation in late June, the pitch made by Maxima Roma owner and president Paul Matiasic proved far more compelling.

“I also met President Malagò, we had a good chat, but Paul was more convincing, more direct too,” Totti explained. “It’s a bit strange to find myself here. I come from another world, but when I met Paul, whom I didn’t know, it took him only ten minutes to convince me.”

A New Chapter for a Roma Legend

The transition marks a distinct career shift for Totti, who spent 25 loyal seasons wearing the giallorossi shirt before hanging up his boots in 2017. During his illustrious football career, the forward scored 307 goals for AS Rome and netted nine goals for the Italian national team.

Now, as he approaches his 50th birthday on September 27—coinciding precisely with Maxima Roma’s opening match in Italy’s top-tier Serie A—Totti is throwing his weight behind a basketball venture designed to shake up European sports.

“Why did I choose basketball and not football? Because they gave me importance and made me feel like I was part of the project,” Totti said with a smile.

Paul Matiasic, an American-Italian businessman who acquired the sporting licence of the Brescia club to establish the fresh franchise in Rome, emphasized that Totti’s role goes far beyond a ceremonial title.

“He is not an ambassador or a superficial celebrity, he is truly part of our project,” Matiasic stated. “I am not joking when I say he is our captain, because he understands Rome better than any of us.”

The Basketball Landscape in the Italian Capital

Rome has historically been a football stronghold, yet the city has lacked a representative in the elite Serie A basketball division since 2020.

Both local clubs harbor ambitions of participating in the proposed NBA Europe league. While Matiasic carefully sidestepped direct questions regarding the speculative continental league during Tuesday’s press conference, the broader context remains clear.

The NBA has targeted twelve major European metropolitan areas for a potential pan-continental competition aiming for an autumn 2027 launch. Rome sits alongside Paris, Lyon, London, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Manchester, Munich, Athens, and Istanbul on that strategic watchlist.

What Comes Next

Maxima Roma will make its official top-flight debut on September 27, when Francesco Totti celebrates his milestone birthday alongside the club’s inaugural Serie A fixture.

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