Francesco Totti’s new book Oltre offers a raw look at his post-retirement struggles, detailing his relationship with Noemi Bocchi, the painful fallout of his divorce from Ilary Blasi, and a nine-month estrangement from his daughter Chanel, vanityfair.it reported.
The Genesis of a New Relationship and Accidental Encounters
In the chapter dedicated to Noemi Bocchi, Totti recounts a series of chance encounters across Italy before their relationship officially began. He spotted her in Sardinia, then by coincidence at Circeo, outside a local venue, and subsequently at the Aniene club in Rome, according to vanityfair.it. Only afterward did a mutual acquaintance suggest organizing a dinner. Looking back, Totti views those coincidences as a sign of an inevitable meeting, writing that «we couldn’t not meet» and describing her as someone who makes him «feel alive».
For a long time, Totti and Noemi kept their relationship hidden, meeting mostly in friends’ homes or at her apartment to avoid photographers. vanityfair.it noted that Totti wrote they were not free to love each other fully at first, describing Noemi as a special, positive woman who is «me in female form, and I am her in male form».
Reflections on the Separation and Legal Boundaries
Addressing his marriage to Ilary Blasi, Totti draws an explicit boundary in the text, citing legal agreements and a desire for peaceful living that restrict him from discussing certain aspects. «When a marriage ends badly, it is never just one person’s fault. Mistakes are made at fifty-fifty. We both made mistakes, I and Ilary, and then we no longer found each other», he wrote, adding that she will forever remain the mother of his children, as reported by vanityfair.it.
The book’s release coincided with significant media attention surrounding Ilary Blasi’s wedding to Bastian Müller in Ravello, as noted by wondernetmag.com, while oggi.it highlighted that Totti chose the timing to present Oltre as a way to share truths that many people do not know.
Totti Reveals New Relationship to Family
One of the most intense scenes in the book describes the evening Totti revealed his new relationship to his family at their home in the Eur district of Rome. As vanityfair.it detailed, Chanel reacted with anger, Cristian remained silent, and Isabel wept when Totti stated: «It’s true, I met a woman I like very much, I’m no longer in love with mom, what can I do?». He left the house, visited Noemi, and later returned to tell the children that parents deserve to be happy when they can no longer be so together.
The confrontation fractured his relationship with his daughter Chanel, leading to a nine-month period between 2025 and 2026 where the two did not speak. A fresh rift occurred when Totti learned from newspapers that Chanel would participate in Pechino Express. When she explained she could not tell her family, he initially refused to watch the show until Noemi intervened, telling him not to act foolishly at fifty years old. Totti ultimately listened, later admitting he felt moved watching his daughter on television.
Life After Football, Depression, and Two Serie A Offers
Written alongside journalist Alessandro Alciato and published by Cairo Editore on September 22, 2026, Oltre. Uno si ritira e gli succede di tutto. Che poi tocca pure raccontarlo picks up from May 28, 2017—the day of his final match for AS Roma against Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico, according to oggi.it and wondernetmag.com. The book explores the heavy adjustment to everyday life after retirement, bouts of depression, the loss of his father Enzo during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his fear of dying during the health crisis.
Oggi.it reported that Totti also felt like a caged bird in Rome, a city that means everything to him, and revealed that he received two separate proposals to return and play in Serie A as he approached the age of 50.
Frequently Asked Questions About Francesco Totti’s Book Oltre
Who co-wrote the book Oltre with Francesco Totti?
The book was co-written by Francesco Totti and journalist Alessandro Alciato, and published by Cairo Editore on September 22, 2026.
What date does the narrative of Oltre begin?
The book’s narrative begins ideally on May 28, 2017, marking the day of Totti’s final career match at the Stadio Olimpico between AS Roma and Genoa.
How did Totti and Noemi Bocchi’s relationship begin according to the text?
Totti describes their relationship as starting from a series of accidental encounters in places like Sardinia, Circeo, and Rome, which eventually led to a dinner arranged by a mutual acquaintance.
What did Totti reveal regarding his return to football?
According to reports on the book, Totti disclosed that he received two separate offers to return and play in Serie A as he neared the age of 50.
