Gianluigi Buffon is set to announce his retirement from professional football for a new job.
The legendary former Juventus and Italy goalkeeper has spent the last two seasons playing for boyhood club Parma in Serie B, making 43 appearances. He did sign a contract extension with Parma in February 2022 which would have taken his stay until next summer, but will instead call time on a 28-year career imminently.
According to multiple reports in Italy, the legendary goalkeeper’s official announcement is expected in the next week. He will then join the Italian national team’s coaching staff, fronting Roberto Mancini’s backroom team.
Buffon, who is widely considered one of the best goalkeepers to ever play the game, made 1,175 appearances, with his first coming all the way back in November 1995.
Buffon started his career with Parma, winning the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia before being sold to Juventus in 2001. Across 17 years in Turin, he won ten league titles as well as the 2006 World Cup with Italy.
He ended his Juventus career with 685 appearances, second on the club’s all-time list behind Alessandro Del Piero.
After a single season in France with PSG, the keeper re-joined Juve in 2019 for another two seasons.
Buffon’s career then went full circle in 2021 as he returned to boyhood club Parma following their relegation to Serie B.
During the course of a remarkable career, Buffon won 10 Serie A titles, six Supercoppa Italiana’s, six Coppa Italia’s and a World Cup in 2006. He also holds the record for the most appearances in Serie A with 657 games to his name.
The goalkeeper also played for the Italian national team between 1997 and 2018 and is his country’s record appearance-maker, playing 176 times for the European nation and winning the World Cup in 2006.
