Grazie Gigi

“For me, he’s the pinnacle of passion for your country, and belief for your country. The pride he has when he puts on the Italy jersey, you can see it when he sings the national anthem, and when they don’t qualify for the World Cup and he’s just bawling and falling apart in an interview. That just shows the love he has playing for his country” -Alex Bono

After a goalless draw against Sweden at the San Siro, Italy fails to qualify for a FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1957. The Azzurri not going to Russia was a shock to many, but the real sorrow was about their goalkeeper. The Italy and Juventus legend, who was playing his last international season, now faces a premature retirement. Gianluigi Buffon burst out in tears after the full-time whistle as it dawned on him that he was relieved from Italy duty. It has been two decades since the 39-year-old made his international debut playing in a Moscow blizzard, here is a look at how one of the most inspirational careers in football history kicked off.

Being from a family of professional athletes, Buffon started his career in football as a midfielder in AC Parma’s youth team. Inspired by the Cameroon keeper, Thomas N’Kono during the 1990 World Cup in Italy, Buffon went on to chase a goalkeeping career. The opportunity came to him when both the keepers of the Parma youth team were injured. Capitalizing on it, Buffon became their first-choice goalkeeper. The Parma youth GK coach, Ermes Fulgoni became a mentor for what the world now considers one of the greatest goalkeepers of the beautiful game.

Called up to train with the first team in ’94 and playing his first ever Serie A match in ’95, Gigi made an impressive debut of keeping a clean sheet at the age of 17 against AC Milan. His career only went uphill from there. Even the Parma fans couldn’t have been any more supportive of him. After saving a penalty from the infamous Ronaldo in a clash with Inter in 1997, the fans presented their hero with a ‘Superman’ t-shirt in which Buffon celebrated Parma’s Coppa Italia triumph just a couple years later.

Even after he made his debut for Italy in 1997, he made sure to send his jersey to Avio Menconi, one of his former coaches, who was convinced when he saw the little boy play, that his protégé was destined to represent the country one day.

Buffon was transferred to Juventus in 2001, making him Juve’s most expensive purchase. He had big gloves to fill as he was replacing Edvin van der Sar, a legend in his own right. He did not disappoint, as he stood at the goal line 45 times for his club in his maiden season, making them the title holders. Juventus finished the season with the best defence, conceding only 22 times in 34 Serie A matches.

This legendary keeper has also had his fair share of bad times, having been investigated for participating in illegal betting, the club being relegated to Serie B because of the Calciopoli scandal, facing several long-term injuries over the years and also being ridiculed by the fans when he hadn’t had the best of games.

Nevertheless, Buffon has had a career most cannot even dream of. 175 international caps, 664 club appearances, 10 Serie A titles, 3 Coppa Italia titles and 1 FIFA World Cup; Grazie Gigi

“I do not like to see you like that! I want to see you as what you have been and still are to many – a LEGEND. Proud to meet you and proud to have faced you many times. You still have to delight us in football, friend” – Iker Casillas on Buffon’s tearful retirement.