The Impressionist

Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni thinks so highly of AS Roma captain Francesco Totti he built the national team around the playmaker whose artistry he has compared to that of Vincent van Gogh.

"Totti can do for the national team what (Alessandro) Del Piero does for Juventus and what (Paolo) Maldini does for AC Milan, without doubt," said Trapattoni during qualifying for Euro 2004.

Italian forward Francesco Totti (top) escapes with the ball in front of Belgian midfielder Marc Wilmots 14 June 2000, during the Euro 2000 soccer championship group B match between Belgium and Italy in Brussels. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

Italian forward Francesco Totti (L) is challenged by South Korean defender Hong Myung-bo (R) during their second round match at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan in Daejeon, 18 June 2002. South Korea won the match 2-1 in extra time on a 'golden goal' by South Korean midfielder Ahn Jung-hwan and will now meet Spain in the quarter-finals 22 June in Gwangju. AFP PHOTO/JIMIN LAI

Totti was preferred to Del Piero at Euro 2000, when he was just 23, and inspired Italy to within a whisker of victory in the fateful golden goal defeat in the final against France.

He also ran the Italian show at the 2002 World Cup, which Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson claimed would be Totti's tournament.

But he was controversially sent off (second yellow card) for an alleged dive against South Korea in the second round in yet another golden goal defeat for the Italians.

During qualifying for Euro 2004 injury saw Totti miss several matches and Del Piero shone, giving Trapattoni the luxury of two gifted playmakers to choose from.

The gladiator

Totti is a folk hero in his native Rome.

AS Roma captain Francesco Totti takes off his jersey after the last match of the First Italian League at the Rome's Olympic Stadium, 17 June 2001. AS Roma win their third Italian first division title and their first since 1983, after winning 3-1 against Parma. AFP PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS

A tackle between Italy' s International Francesco Totti (L) of AS Roma and Uruguayan Fabian Alberto O' Neill of Juventus Turin during their Italian First League early soccer match 29 September 2001. AFP PHOTO EPA/ANSA/LUCA ZENNARO/pal-bw

His family have lived in the eternal city for seven generations and Francesco grew up in the working class suburb of Porta Metronia supporting AS Roma. He has a gladiator tatooed on his arm and has sworm eternal allegiance to the club.

AS Roma coach Fabio Capello has also shaped his side round the talismanic captain and when he ticks the team can run as smoothly as a Swiss watch.

In 2001 he led the club to the Italian championship, their first for 18 years and Totti's only silverware to date.

He scored two spectacular goals in a 6-3 aggregate Italian Cup final loss to AC Milan in 2003 before being sent off. It appears Milan had marked him as the danger man and provoked him into violence.

Trump card and joker

Italian Francesco Totti (R) goes for a header against French Didier Deschamps 02 July 2000, during the final France vs Italy of the Euro 2000 European soccer championship in Rotterdam. AFP PHOTO/MICHELE LIMINA (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

Off the pitch Totti has often been the target of comedians and impersonators because of his uneasiness in front of the camera and his monosyllabic answers.

A book of jokes, all at his expense, has sold more than half a million copies in Italy. Totti gave his blessing to the project on the condition that all the profit went to children in the Congo.

Roma talisman and Azzuri trump card he is obviously no dummy on the pitch and this ability to take himself lightly will have won him even broader respect.