Source: Twitter
The football world was in shock and awe on Wednesday as Gianluigi Buffon, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 45. The Italian legend, who played for Parma, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain, decided to hang up his gloves after a two-year stint at his boyhood club Parma in Serie B.
Buffon, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and nine Serie A titles with Juventus, was widely regarded as the best goalkeeper of his generation and one of the best ever. However, there was one trophy that eluded him throughout his illustrious career: the UEFA Champions League.
Buffon reached the final of Europe’s elite club competition three times with Juventus, but lost on each occasion: to AC Milan on penalties in 2003, to Barcelona 3-1 in 2015, and to Real Madrid 4-1 in 2017. He also came close to winning it with PSG in 2019, but they were knocked out by Manchester United in a dramatic round of 16 tie.
As soon as Buffon announced his retirement, Twitter was flooded with messages of admiration, respect, and gratitude from fans, players, and pundits alike. Many hailed him as the best goalkeeper of all time, while others lamented his lack of Champions League success. Here are some of the best reactions:
Many football players commented on Buffon’s Instagram post, including Ivan Rakitic, Arthur Melo, Miralem Pjanic, and Joe Hart.
Check out some of the comments here:
Despite not winning the UCl, Buffon was voted football's greatest-ever goalkeeper in a poll conducted for readers of France Football (via Football Italia) in 2016. At Juventus, he formed an almost unbreakable partnership with the central defensive trio of Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, and Leonardo Bonucci, and won eight consecutive Scudettos.
In terms of individual accolades, Buffon was named by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) as the Best Goalkeeper of the Decade (2001-2011) and the Best Goalkeeper in the World in five separate years (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2017).
