ROME- A.S Roma and Italy legend, Francesco Totti, will call time on a glittering playing career at the end of the season, new Roma sporting director Monchi announced at a news conference Wednesday.

 The talismanic striker, 40, joined Roma when he was just 13 years old in 1989.

 He made his senior debut in 1993 and in nearly 25 years of loyal service he has scored 250 league goals for Roma, more than any other Serie A player has ever managed for any one club.

 Totti’s contract was due to expire in the summer but Spanish director Monchi announced that this season would be his last as a player for the Giallorossi.

 The Italian will instead take up a position as a backroom director at the club.

 In addition to a successful club career with Roma, Totti also received 58 caps for Italy and was a member of the 2006 World Cup winning team.

 However, Totti will go down in history as a Roma icon, making almost 800 appearances for the club.

 Roma’s new sporting director, Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, better known as Monchi, said, “As far as Totti is concerned, I already knew that there was an agreement with the club that this would be his final year as a player, then he’d start as a director.”

 “Francesco is Roma. I want to be as close to him as possible. I’d love to learn even one per cent of the huge amount that he knows.”

 Roma will end their Serie A campaign against Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico, May 28, in what could be Totti’s last appearance for the club.