ROME (AFP) - Roma captain and talisman Francesco Totti has ruled out a return to the Italian national team, despite the world champions' qualification for Euro 2008.
Totti's international retirement has been one of the major talking points in Italy ever since Roberto Donadoni's team got off to a dreadful start in their qualification campaign.
And even after a 2-1 victory in Scotland on Saturday secured the Azzurri's passage to Austria and Switzerland, Donadoni has come under fire for not doing more to hold onto Totti and Alessandro Nesta, who also retired from international football.
But Totti told the Gazzetta dello Sport that he has no intention of coming back into the international fold.
"I know the rules of the group and out of respect for that I would never think of returning to the Azzurri squad," said the 31-year-old.
"I made my decision to retire from international football straight after the World Cup Final in Berlin.
"The (Italian) Federation asked me to take some time and I did, but at the start of last season I told them that I wanted to quit and I have never reconsidered since, whether we qualified for Euro 2008 or not.
"My relationship with Donadoni and the Federation is clear and civil. I wish my former teammates all the best for the European Championship."
Under-fire Donadoni had insisted that both Totti and Nesta could be welcomed back into the squad, but claimed that decision was out of his hands.
"I did everything possible," said Donadoni. "How can I force them to return to the national side if they aren't motivated? It would be counterproductive.
"If they change their minds I would listen to them, but certain choices deserve to be respected."
No comments:
Post a Comment