Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has announced his retirement from football.
The former Italy international has decided to hang up his gloves at the age of 45, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned 28 seasons.
Taking to social media, Buffon said: “That’s all folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together.”
Buffon made his professional debut all the way back in 1995, keeping a clean sheet as Parma held AC Milan to a 0-0 draw.
He would win three trophies in six seasons with Parma before heading to Juventus in 2001 as a long-term replacement for Edwin van der Sar. Buffon would become a club legend with the Bianconeri, winning 19 trophies in 656 games across his first spell in Turin, notably staying with the club through the Calciopoli scandal and during their one season in Serie B.
In 2018, Buffon joined Paris Saint-Germain for one season, winning another two trophies, before returning to Juventus for a further two years and scooping three more major honours.
Buffon made an emotional return to Parma in 2021 and played two final seasons at the Stadio Ennio Tardini before deciding to retire at the beginning of August.
The crowning moment of Buffon’s career came in 2006 when he played a major role in Italy’s World Cup victory. A spectacular tournament helped the goalkeeper to a second-placed finish in the Ballon d’Or, only beaten to the gong by teammate Fabio Cannavaro. With 176 appearances, Buffon is the most-capped player in Italian history.
In total, Buffon played 1,151 senior matches. In 90min’s top 50 footballers of all time list, Buffon ranked 37th – the highest place of any goalkeeper in history.
