Gianluigi Buffon announces retirement from football at age of 45: 'I gave you everything'

Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has announced his retirement from football at the age of 45. Buffon was currently playing for Parma in Italian Serie B. Buffon is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers to ever play the game. Buffon announced his retirement on Twitter, stating, "That's all folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together."

Former Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon retires from football

Gianluigi Buffon will remain one of the most decorated players to ever grace the stage of football. The Italian shot-stopper led Italy to the 2006 World Cup title with one of the most impressive goalkeeping skills in a football World Cup.

The Champions League eluded him in his entire football career as the 45-year-old failed to lift the trophy even once in his career. He has 10 Serie A titles in his tally alongside six Italian Cups and seven Italian Super Cups.

Buffon had one season remaining on his contract with Parma in Serie B and therefore leaves the sport with the same team that he began his professional career with nearly three decades ago.

Buffon: The legend hangs up his gloves

The pinnacle of Buffon’s career came during the 2006 World Cup, when he conceded only two goals during the seven matches of the Azzurri’s run to the trophy. Neither of those two goals were scored by opponents during open play. One was an own-goal by teammate Cristian Zaccardo and the other was a penalty kick by Zinedine Zidane during the final.

At Juventus, Buffon was the backbone behind 10 Serie A titles and stayed with the club even after the 2006 “Calciopoli” scandal that saw the team relegated to Serie B. He helped the Bianconeri win the second division a year after the World Cup title.

The only big title missing from Buffon’s career was the Champions League, having lost three finals with Juventus — to AC Milan in 2003, to Barcelona in 2015 and to Real Madrid in 2017.

Buffon left Juventus for Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 only to return to the Turin club a year later as a backup to Wojciech Szczesny. He then made a sentimental return to Parma in 2021

(with AP inputs)