AS Roma club captain and talisman Francesco Totti said on Monday that he has signed a new five-year contract with the capital-based club.
The 32-year-old, who had an injury-plagued campaign last season, is known to have chronic knee problems so the length of the contract extension, which will take him past his 37th birthday, will suprise many.
"I want to thank (club president) Rosella (Sensi) for having believed in me once again and for extending my contract with Roma for five years," he said at a ceremony at the Town Hall in Rome called to celebrate his 178 Serie A goals for the club.
The mark of 178 goals is a single-club record for a player in Italy, which Totti holds with Roma.
"This will give me the chance to beat some more records," he added.
Totti has only ever played for Roma, where he made his debut in March 1993 and is regarded by the fans as a demi-god.