Ex-Italy goal keeper Gianluigi Buffon has stepped down from his role as delegation with the Italy national team following the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Italy have now missed three consecutive World Cups, having also failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Buffon, who was part of Italy’s victorious squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, confirmed his resignation in a statement, describing it as “an act of responsibility.”As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, the 48-year-old had been working closely with the national team setup and said the primary objective of returning Italy to the World Cup had not been achieved. Buffon stated that with leadership changes underway, it was only right to allow those coming in the freedom to appoint their own personnel. “It’s fair to leave it to those who will come after the freedom to choose the figure they think is best to play my role,” he said.

Source: Punch April 03, 2026 08:26 UTC