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February 18, 2006

The Olympics vs. Soccer...who will win the attention?

With the 2006 Olympic games going on in Torino, I thought that there would be a bit more coverage and a bit more talk about the events. Instead, I have begun to realize what the real Romans’ passion is: soccer.

Right now the Campionato di Calcio (Soccer Championship) is going on and the Roman soccer team, conveniently called a.s. Roma, is going for their 10th consecutive win this Sunday.

Francesco Totti, captain of a.s. Roma.

Roma fans are not only crazy about the team, but about the captain Francesco Totti. Not only is Totti a hunk (famous for occasionally taking his shirt off after kicking a goal), but is admired for his honesty, work with underprivileged children, constant donating to UNICEF and thick Roman accent. When Totti was married in Piazza Venezia last summer, huge crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the celebrity and say an “auguri” (congratulations).

I was never really into soccer before I moved to Rome – and to be honest, I still don’t find the game that intriguing. I do, however, enjoy the excitement of the crowds when Totti kicks a goal, the fighting over who pushed who, and the drama about what player is leaving the team to get paid more for a rival team.

So, while the Olympics continue up north, you can bet that most of the Romans will be crowded around their TV like every Sunday: Watching the Roma game and cheering on their hero.

Posted by Kelsea  at 11:59 AM | Permalink

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