Non-League and Academy football writer

Matteo Toti is a player for LBS Lions, and someone who has been on a fascinating footballing journey, across Italy, The USA, and now England, where the talented and very experienced 27 year old is currently playing for LBS Lions. LBS Lions’ first team play their football at step 8 (in the 12th tier of English football), of the Middlesex County Football League, in Division One East & Central. And since joining the club, Matteo, who is a very technically gifted player, has really excelled for them. I recently interviewed Matteo Toti, about some of his footballing journey, so far. 

Could you talk me through a bit about your background in football, prior to joining LBS Lions? Also, could you talk me through a bit about your time with AS Roma’s youth set-up, and then subsequently the Frosinone Academy, in Italy?

Matteo: To start from the beginning, I was born and raised in China. And interestingly, as a player, a football agent once got in contact with me when I was younger, to see if I could possibly represent China at international level, after seeing my Transfermarkt profile. But, I actually didn’t have a Chinese passport. I started playing football when I was four, and football just came very quickly to me. Back then I was playing for an international team in China, and my parents realised that I was good at football. We always used to go back to Rome in the summer, and my parents thought that it would be a good idea to participate in a summer football camp, which I did. It was organised by AS Roma, and anyone could attend it.

From participating in that football camp, my parents wanted to see whether I was good at football, and to see whether I could get scouted by any clubs. In the end I got scouted (I was the only one scouted from the football camp) after playing very well at this football camp, and Alberto De Rossi (the father of Daniele De Rossi) was at this football camp, as part of the AS Roma youth academy. I can remember that after playing a game at that football camp, that De Rossi came up to me and told me that I was a very good player, and that he’d like me to join AS Roma’s football youth academy. The club spoke with my parents, and they understood that we were still living in China, but if we ever decided to return to Rome, then they would like me to join the club’s football academy. And my parents would soon decide to come back to Rome, and that was how my journey to AS Roma’s youth academy started

Being at the AS Roma football academy was a wonderful experience, and just walking through the sports centre there and seeing players like Francesco Totti, and Daniele De Rossi, was amazing. The level at the academy was extremely intense, with very good players (Lorenzo Pellegrini is a year older than Matteo, with Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Fratessi a couple of years younger than him) there, and I learned so much from all of the coaches who coached me there. I played there for five years in the youth academy. But after the five years, and there is a very tough selection process at the end of each season, I didn’t quite make the cut for the B team, in the Primavera. Frosinone then scouted me, and I joined them when they were in Serie A, at the time. Being at Frosinone was also a wonderful experience, and I was playing with the Primavera team, as well as training a couple of times with the Serie A team. 

After Frosinone, I was 19 and I trialled for a Serie C team, for a contract there. I can remember doing a trial there, and I played the whole pre-season with them. But, after getting told that I was going to get given a contract, in the end and on the last day of pre-season, they didn’t give me a contract. So I was now without a team, and all of the professional teams had finished making their roster. My whole dream and plan in life was to make it as a professional footballer, and so I then realised that I had a choice to continue pursuing that passion, or pursuing my academic studies. So I thought to myself, why don’t I go to the United States, where I went to Bryant University, which was the best decision of my life. As I was able to get my studies fully funded and also still get to play football at a very high level, and with great facilities there as well. So that story connects with how I then went to LBS Lions, as after my time in the US, I wanted to get closer to home again. 

After moving to London, to do my masters at London Business School, I remember playing for their football team, and that was when Rafael Trape came up to me and told me to join the Lions. So he told me all about the club, and I was very enthusiastic about joining them, and so that is how I came about joining the Lions.

Have there been any footballers that you have looked up to, to try and model your game on/around?

Matteo: Obviously Francesco Totti was an inspiration to me, playing a similar role to him on the pitch. I grew up playing as a sort of second striker, even though as a youngster, I played multiple positions. So I inspired myself depending on what role I play on the pitch. So when I play as a winger, I look up to Mohamed Salah, and as a forward, both Sergio Aguero, and Francesco Totti. So for me, it really depends on the role. 

Could you talk me through some of your memories of playing for LBS Lions, so far?

Matteo: This is my third season with the Lions, which is an incredible community. It brings so many people together from different countries, who all share a passion for football. So the players at the club might have very intense jobs, but they all want to continue to play football at a very competitive level. So the club allows players to play in that environment, and at such a competitive level. I’m very happy that we decided to join this league, and it has really brought the level up further, for the players at the club. So hopefully we can get promoted to the Premier Division for next season, and continue to take the level up higher.

One of my great memories was actually a defeat to SL Benfica, last season. We didn’t get promoted because of that defeat, but it made us realise how much we want to strive to get to that level, for next season. For us, SL Benfica are a very professional and dedicated team, and that has made us a better team, looking up to, and aspiring to be of that level. But, now this season we’re doing extremely well, and hopefully we can play against them again, next season.

What have been some of your impressions of this level of grassroots football in the Middlesex County Football League, so far?

Matteo: I think that it’s great, because you can tell that the people who play in this league are very passionate about football. Football really takes up your weekend, especially with travel, and that means that if you’re taking a whole day of your weekend up, then people really are passionate. The competitiveness of the league is very high, and we realise that the teams who play in this division show up early and do proper warmups before games, and so the level of this league has really made us grow as a team. The league is also very organised, as well.

What have been some of your standout memories from your footballing journey, so far?

Matteo: A good memory for me was when I was in the US, and I was playing in the North East Conference. I scored a goal in the semi-finals for Bryant, which brought us to the final of the conference, and so that was a great memory. 

Who has been the most difficult team that you faced (for their quality) during your time at LBS Lions, so far?

Matteo: Like I was saying earlier, it would have to be SL Benfica. When we played against them last season, in a very good game of football that we could have won, we realised then that we need to be at that level every game, to improve as a team.

For those who haven’t seen you play, could you describe to me what type of player you are?

Matteo: I would say that I am a very versatile player who can play different positions, but I’m also very creative as a player.

What have you made of the current season for LBS Lions, so far, in the Middlesex League?

Matteo: I think that it’s been a great season so far, and we’ve learnt a lot from our previous two seasons in the league. We dropped points in game because during the previous season our professional mindset was not quite there yet. But, those losses did make us realise that we have to improve, and we’ve shown that during this season, which is why we haven’t lost a game yet, this season.

What are some of your hopes and aims for the remainder of this season (2024/25) with LBS Lions?

Matteo: I want us to stay undefeated during our remaining games of this season, and to win all of our remaining games, so that we can get promoted for next season.