Gianluigi Buffon announced his retirement from football on Wednesday, bringing down the curtain on a glorious career as one of the world's greatest ever goalkeepers. Gianluigi Buffon greets fans during the Italian Serie A football match(AFP)Buffon, 45, hangs up his gloves after two final years at Parma, the club where it all began nearly three decades ago when Italian football was Europe's gold standard. Buffon is a symbol of a halcyon age when the best footballers went to play in Serie A and Italy developed dozens of world class players. After bursting onto the scene as a 17-year-old, keeping out the likes of George Weah and Roberto Baggio in his Parma debut against AC Milan, Buffon won 27 major trophies. Buffon won his last trophy in his final season with Juve two years ago, lifting the Italian Cup alongside Federico Chiesa, 22 years after he triumphed with Parma alongside his teammate's father Enrico.

Source: Hindustan Times August 02, 2023 14:36 UTC