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Gianluigi Buffon in action for Parma in April. Alamy Stock Photo

Gianluigi Buffon announces retirement at age of 45

Buffon holds the record for most Serie A matches contested and is the most capped player in Italy’s history.

ITALY’S 2006 WORLD Cup-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon announced his retirement on Wednesday at the age of 45.

“That’s all folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together,” he posted in English on social media.

Buffon won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus but ended his stellar career back where it all started at Parma.

It was at Parma that he won his only European club trophy – the 1999 Uefa Cup (now the Europa League) – but retires without a Champions League winners medal having lost three times in the final with Juventus.

He also won a Ligue 1 crown with Paris Saint Germain in the 2018/19 season before he returned to Juventus for two more years.

Buffon holds the record for most Serie A matches contested (657) and is the most capped player in Italy’s history with 176 (1997-2018).

That encompassed five World Cups which included the high of winning it in 2006 – beating France on penalties – to bowing out in the first round four years later.

– © AFP 2023

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