Juventus, Italy legend Buffon retires from football aged 45

Juventus and Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon has confirmed his retirement from professional football at the age of 45 years. Buffon is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his era and played for a total of 28 years at the top level.

The veteran played his last two seasons at boyhood club Parma in Serie B before calling time on his glorious career. Buffon ended his contract with Parma, which was to run till June 2024.

The Italian player posted a video on Wednesday that read: “That’s all folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together.”

Buffon made his debut for Parma when he was only 17 years-old in 1995 and rose through the ranks. After four years, he won the Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup and Italian Supercoppa at the club.

Subsequently, Buffon made a move to Juventus in 2001 for a €52 million ($57m) transfer, which was a record fee for any goalkeeper during that time. Buffon went to spend almost 20 years with the Italian giants. In fact, back in 2018-19, he made a move to Paris Saint-Germain for one year and then once again played for Juventus.

Buffon savored great success with Juventus, winning 10 Serie A titles in 19 seasons, as well as the Serie B championship in 2006-07.

The veteran won Coppa Italia on five occasions whereas the Italian Supercoppa on six times. Buffon qualified for Champions League finals with Juventus on three occasions but the club failed to go all the way.

With 176 matches, Buffon is the most capped International player for Italy. Buffon won the World Cup with the national team in 2006 when they defeated France in the penalty shootout. He had called time on his Italy career in 2017.

Leonardo Bonucci and Kylian Mbappe paid tribute to the keeper for his glorious career.

The former Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci wrote: “You’ve been un1que. And you always will be. I can’t even find the words to describe what you’ve been, what you taught me, what you gave me. Thanks, my friend.”

“It’s a huge honour for me to have had the chance to rub shoulders with you and cross paths with your legendary career,” Mbappe posted on messaging platform X, previously known as Twitter.

“(You are) a man of gold with invaluable advice that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”