His retirement was only recent but seeing Francesco Totti back on a football pitch, even if not in a Roma shirt, and instead in a charity game, was an absolute joy.
Roma's greatest ever player called time on his career and moved into a director's role within his beloved club, with his final appearance being an emotional farewell on 28 May at Stadio Olimpico when Roma qualified for the Champions League courtesy of a dramatic 3-2 win over Genoa.
With a strict diet and fitness regime no longer required, Totti isn't exactly in peak physical condition anymore but when you are as technically gifted as he is, it doesn't matter much.
In a charity game between a World XI and a GFF XI at the Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi, Georgia, arranged to raise money for those affected by a huge forest fire in Borjomi Gorge back in August, Totti scored a trademark belter of a goal.
Receiving the ball and turning into space, 'Il Capitano' works an opening and after cocking back his right boot, unleashed an arrowed effort that flew into the top corner. The goalkeeper didn't didn't even, purely because of the power and speed of the strike.
A star-studded list including the likes of Rivaldo, Luca Toni, Massimo Ambrosini, Andriy Shevchenko, Hernan Crespo and Georgi Kinkladze assembled for the fixture, but it was Totti, the second-highest goalscorer in Serie A history, who made the biggest impression.
Totti celebrated his 41st birthday on Wednesday and we marked it by harking back to his Roma goodbye.
After the game, cameras were fixed on Totti in his final farewell and much like many of his teammates, and fans, he struggled to hold back the tears.
Totti entered the fray in the second half with the game poised at 1-1, following a third minute opener from Pietro Pellegri, the youngest ever goalscorer in Serie A history, and a reply from Edin Dzeko in the first half.
Handed the captain's armband by fellow one-club man Daniele De Rossi as he came onto the Stadio Olimpico pitch for the final time, as expected, every touch from the Roma legend was wildly cheered by those in attendance.
Here are some of the highlights of Totti's farewell, courtesy of social media:
Grazie Francesco Totti. :crown::clap::cry: pic.twitter.com/F0iNRfZ4jO
- BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball)May 28, 2017
End of an era - The word legend is said far too easily these days. But Francesco Totti is most definitely one of them #GrazieTotti pic.twitter.com/6fRIiAbf8R
- Spion Kop (@TheKopHQ) May 28, 2017
@Totti Number 10 pic.twitter.com/C5rmOG6XHF
- Match Photography (@MatchPhotos) May 28, 2017
One more legend of the Game says goodbye.
They don't make them this Loyal anymore..#francescototti #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/oMGWrJociw
- Madhur Sharma (@drmadhursharma) May 28, 2017
What a player...
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Francesco Totti