Gigi Buffon made his Parma debut as a 17-year-old scamp on November 19, 1995.
In the coming days, Buffon is expected to pen a new deal that will keep him at Juventus until 2018.
As talented 13-year-old from Tuscany, Buffon chose Parma over Milan and Bologna. His hero was Thomas N’Kondo – Cameroon’s Italia ’90 goalkeeper [below] – so it was no surprise that he eventually hopped in nets after being equally promising in midfield.
There was a nice symmetry in the fact that Buffon’s pro debut was against Milan. He kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. How very Italian. How very Buffon.
He spent six seasons with Parma and won three cups – of various shapes, sizes and import – before the Old Lady of Juventus came calling. He has been there ever since, winning 13 team awards and 42 individual accolades.
When Juventus were relegated to Serie B – as part of 2006’s Calciopoli match-fixing scandal – Buffon stuck around. This was as a World Cup winner, having claimed the trophy with Italy after a memorable clash with France.
Buffon has sailed serenely through his 30s and remains one of the world’s best goalkeepers. Juventus may be scouting around for more talent, while trying to hang onto the likes of Alvaro Morata, but Buffon is near top of the agenda.
Gianluigi Buffon has written a heartfelt love letter to the Juventus goal he defends https://t.co/mPmoyK6N8O
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 21, 2016
Juve are keen for the 38-year-old to sign a one-year extension to his current deal. That will take him up to the summer of 2018.
‘Gigi’ has stated, in recent months, that he aims to retire after the 2018 World Cup.
We wouldn’t put it past him, even if we wanted to.
