New job already in prospect
Goalkeeping legend Buffon faces immediate career end
8/2/2023 6:44 am
He’s one of the best goalkeepers of his generation. At the age of 45, Italy’s 2006 world champion Gianluigi Buffon apparently wants to stop. A job with the “Azzurri” beckons him. With his renewed engagement in Parma, a circle had closed for “Gigi”.
Italy’s goalkeeper legend Gianluigi Buffon ends his glittering and successful football career. Italian media reported this unanimously on Tuesday evening. According to the largest daily sports newspaper “Gazzetta dello Sport”, there is no official announcement yet, but the decision of the 2006 world champion is certain. The world goalkeeper from 2017 is still under contract with second division club AC Parma until 2024. According to an agreement with club boss Kyle Krause, he should be able to decide for himself when to say goodbye.
With his renewed engagement in Parma 2021, “Gigi” Buffon had come full circle. He started his professional career at the club in November 1995. 28 years later it ends in the same place. Buffon celebrated his great successes with Juventus Turin. With the “Old Lady” he was under contract with a short break from 2001 to 2021, won the championship title ten times, the Italian Supercup seven times and the cup five times. Twice he was with Juve in the final of the Champions League, both times he lost.
Buffon was one of the best goalkeepers of this millennium. He was between the posts 178 times for the national team, a record holder. The highlight was the 2006 World Cup triumph in Germany, six years later the Squadra Azzurra were also in the European Championship final, but lost to Spain. Buffon also holds the record for most competitive games in Italian football ahead of Paolo Maldini.
Even after the end of his active career, his further path is already mapped out. It is considered certain that Buffon will act as the head of delegation for the Italian national team. Gianluca Vialli was the last person to perform that task before the ex-professional died in early 2023 as a result of cancer. Association boss Gabriele Gravina already described Buffon as the right man for this position.