[D-Kin]

Totti turns down Olympics berth Saturday 12 January, 2008

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Francesco Totti has said it would “not be right” if he accepted an invitation to play for the Italian Olympic squad after his international retirement.

Although the Roma star has retired from the Azzurri scene, he could be one of three over-age players invited to join Pierluigi Casiraghi’s Under-21 side in Beijing.

“I don’t want to go to Beijing,” Totti told the TG1 news programme.

“The Olympic side and the Nazionale are the same thing and if I’m not going to Euro 2008 it wouldn’t be right to go to the Olympics.”

Casiraghi had said he would be interested in calling up several world class over-age players, including Luca Toni.

Meanwhile, Totti commented on the news that his former Roma boss Fabio Capello has taken on the England job.

“He was a great player and a great Coach, he will continue to be great with England as well. Wherever he has gone, he has always won.”

The Roma captain has spent his entire career in a Giallorossi jersey and aims to complete that era.

“My contract expires in two years and I hope to renew it as soon as possible.”

channel4.com - Football Italia