Francesco Totti's debut - what did the world look like in March 1993?

25 May 2017 04:54

Francesco Totti will call time on his 24-year career as a Roma player after the game with Genoa.

The Italian striker, now 40, made his first Giallorossi appearance on March 28, 1993.

Here, Press Association Sport looks back at what else was going on when a teenage Totti debuted.

BEN JOHNSON BANNED

At the beginning of March Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was banned from athletics for life after failing a drugs test for a second time. He had won the 100 metres at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, but was stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

WEDNESDAY OFF TO WEMBLEY

Two weeks before Totti made his senior Roma bow, there were wild celebrations at Hillsborough after Sheffield Wednesday beat Blackburn 2-1 - thanks to goals from David Hirst and Mark Bright - to book a Wembley date with Arsenal. Totti was a confirmed first-team player by the time the League Cup final came around, and Wednesday suffered heartache as Arsenal won 2-1 with a Steve Morrow clincher.

TOP OF THE POPS

Shaggy, who later enjoyed more fame with his 1995 song 'Boombastic', was number one in the UK singles charts with his breakthrough single 'Oh Carolina'. Days after Totti ran out as a substitute at Brescia, Shaggy was toppled by The Bluebells and their violin-laden song 'Young At Heart'.

BRANDON LEE KILLED ON FILM SET

American actor and martial artist Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee, was accidentally shot by a prop gun while filming 'The Crow' in North Carolina. The revolver used in the scene was loaded with blanks, but a dummy round was trapped in the barrel, and it mortally wounded Lee when it was fired.

TELLY ADDICTS

Back in spring 1993 we were watching Mr Blobby on 'Noel's House Party', 'Chef!' starring Lenny Henry was the latest sitcom and the popular 1960s medical drama 'Dr Finlay's Casebook' was revived with a new cast. Totti might even have celebrated running out at Brescia by heading to the cinema to watch 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles In Time', although that is unlikely.

Source: PA