Totti top of the pile in 2001

He led his club to their first title in 18 years, he was the focal point of an Italy side that was unbeaten in qualifying for the World Cup finals and he has shone in his debut season in the Champions League.

There can be little doubt that this has been the year AS Roma's Francesco Totti emerged as the leading talent in Serie A.

Added to his vision, passing ability, dribbling skills and clinical finishing, Totti is also a rare creature in modern football -- a local lad playing for the team he has supported since he was a boy.

That combination makes him an idol for the ultras in the 'Curve Sud', the home of the hardcore fans in the south end of Rome's Olympic stadium.

Since he emerged as the creative epicentre for Giovanni Trapattoni's Italy side during the past two years he has become the property of all Italy and next year's World Cup finals will provide him with the greatest stage of all.

Totti's talent has never been in doubt since he made his debut for Roma as a 16-year-old in 1993.

Lingering concerns over his temperament and determination have been blown away during what has been a stunning 12 months.

As captain he scored 12 goals and created many more as Fabio Capello's Roma marched to the title last season.

The debate over whether he was an out-and-out striker or a midfielder was ended by Capello who gave him a free role, operating behind the front two -- a position that Trapattoni has also handed to Totti.

More than most players who have earned the luxury of playing in such a role, Totti uses the licence to roam and frequently ventures deep and wide where he can make full use of his ability to open up defences with penetrating 30-metre passes.

Closer to goal he has the ability to turn sharply and to play the incisive passes that strikers such as Roma's Gabriel Batistuta and Italy's Filippo Inzaghi thrive upon.

Among the seemingly endless stream of praise for his performances this year it was perhaps most indicative of his new status that Totti was asked whether he would mind if Roberto Baggio was taken to the World Cup as his understudy.

That showed Totti has arrived and for Trapattoni the only question is whether he can lift his game to even higher levels in Japan and South Korea.