There aren't many athletes who follow their hearts. They choose to go somewhere to win more and earn more money. They're like gypsies.

To the children of yesterday, who have grown up and become parents, and to the children of today, who perhaps shout 'Tottigol,' I'd like to think that, for you, my career has become a fairytale for you to pass on.

Football, to me, is a passion, more than a game. It is everything. But more than anything, it is love for Roma. I have always been Roma. There has never been anything else.

I never thought about money; otherwise, I would have left aged 26 when Real Madrid and Barcelona wanted me.

Playing further up the pitch, you have more opportunities to score and provide assists, and it's something I liked right from the start.

The game has given me so much, and I tried to give so much back to the people who have showed me so much love day after day.