Francesco Totti is serious about a return to professional football

"It's not a joke.”

The Italian legend retired seven years ago after a one-club career spent at Roma, where he won the league once and the Italian cup twice.

As well as this he won the World Cup with Italy in 2006.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of his generation, Totti was courted by some of Europe's biggest clubs, even turning down the chance to play at Real Madrid.

The icon retired in 2017, however, the player has now made the incredible claim that he could return to professional Italian football even suggesting some Serie A clubs have already made contact.

Speaking at a recent even, the 48-year-old said: "Some Serie A teams have contacted me.

"I admit that they made me think a little, a little crazy. It would be difficult, but in life you never say never.

"There are players who have played many years after the end of their career.

"It also depends on where you play, with all due respect, but if I were to return to Serie A I would have to train really well."

Since his first incredible statement, the Italian legend has now made his comments concrete.

Speaking to Italian outlet SportsMediaset.it, he said: “It's not a joke, I took everything seriously, there are one or two teams. Let's see what happens, who knows what next year will bring us.”

In Totti's comments last week, the player even thinks he could make a return to the very top of Italian football.

Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that he said: "Given the current level of Serie A, I could easily make an impact on the field."

While this all seems up in the air currently, there is one club the player would never play for, Roma's arch rivals Lazio.

Totti said: ""Lazio? I wouldn't have even considered it.

"I'd be ready in two to three months. I'm still playing at 48. Half an hour, twenty minutes. If I had to do something crazy, I'd do it in Italy, not abroad, but it's crazy.

"When you turn the page you never know what awaits you. It wasn't my choice, but in that moment it has to be experienced differently from the context.

"Maybe that's also why I've had that thing inside me. It's true that there's a beginning and an end to everything."

Well, there it is, watch this space. In a year of reunions and returns, Francesco Totti could be the latest in a wave of people ready to 'run it back'.