Legendary Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon has retired from professional football at the age of 45.
He announced his retirement with an emotional video through his official Twitter account on Wednesday, 2nd of August 2023.
Buffon ends his astonishing football journey at his boyhood club, Parma, bringing an end to his incredible 28-year career that has seen him play for the likes of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
The goalkeeper captioned a video displaying some of his best moments with the caption: “That’s all, folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together.”
He ended his international career with 77 clean sheets in 176 caps and played a total of 1,151 professional games at club and international levels, winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy. Buffon also won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus.
“We would like to thank you once again: It is one of those moments we will remember in the history of football. You were not only the best, you did more than that, you became THE goalkeeper,” Juventus said in a statement.
It was at Parma that he won his only European club trophy — the 1999 UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) — but he retires without a Champions League winners medal having lost three times in the final with Juventus.
Parma paid a handsome tribute to him saying he is “a man, a champion, a captain for the club and the city.”
“Over the course of his illustrious career, Gigi was unequalled, in his abilities, an implacable determination and an unshakable passion both on the pitch and off it,” Parma owner Kyle Krause said.
He also won a Ligue 1 crown with Paris Saint Germain in the 2018/19 season before he returned to Juventus for two more years.
Buffon holds the record for most Serie A matches contested (657) and is the most capped player in Italy’s history with 176 (1997-2018).
