According to Tuttosport, should Dybala wear the Roma No. 10 jersey? The opportunity could have become reality when he joined Roma in the summer of 2022. In the end, Dybala chose No. 21, and Francesco Totti never pressured him. On the contrary, the Roma legend has always been open to the Argentine taking over the No. 10 and becoming his successor—a point he reiterated in his latest autobiography, "Oltre."

"I don't want the responsibility to fall on me."

"Dybala has never worn that Roma number. Since they forced me to retire, no one else has worn the jersey of my beloved team. It's not my decision; it's the choice of the fans, who are the true custodians of this treasure."

When Paulo arrived at Roma, the club conveyed a message to me indirectly. They wanted to give him the No. 10 and hoped I would present the jersey to him at his official unveiling," Totti revealed. He immediately responded bluntly: "Are you all crazy? If you have the nerve to do it, give him the jersey yourselves. It's nothing against the player; quite the opposite, I like him a lot, and I like him as a person—he's a great guy. If you really plan to do it, just do it directly; don't drag me into it."

Totti joined Roma's management immediately after retiring in 2017 but left two years later due to disagreements with the club. The former Roma captain did not want to become a burden on Dybala's decision: "I don't want the weight of a choice that isn't mine, a decision that has nothing to do with me, on my shoulders. The Roma No. 10 jersey carries tremendous significance, and comparisons with me are inevitable. As long as he's performing well, Dybala can decide matches for us."

"I will never retire the No. 10, but..."

"I want to be very clear: I will never permanently retire the Roma No. 10 jersey; that would rob children of a beautiful dream. Every day I hope for another Totti to emerge—someone born in Roma, raised in Roma, and who chooses Roma as their lifelong home," Totti stated. As for giving this jersey to someone from across the world who will only stay briefly before leaving, the situation is entirely different. This is too important and too symbolic a number; it should only go to someone with the potential to play for Roma for fifteen to twenty years."

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