Gianluigi Buffon has spoken again about his past during the 'Champions under the stars' event, held at the Biella Forum. The former goalkeeper of Juventus, now head of the Italian national team delegation, has dusted off the memories that have accompanied him. From the beginnings of his career, to the finals of the Champions League, the former number 1 of Italy and Parma has told his story, including his retirement from football.
About Juventus
The story began with Juventus, the team that made him one of the greats of football and where he played most of his career: 'Juve was my football life, I have beautiful memories of growth both from a human and sporting point of view. The Juve universe overturns your certainties, but once you manage to make it yours it will never let you go'. Then the former goalkeeper continued talking about Italy: 'That Italy shirt was the greatest satisfaction. Representing Italy meant agreeing with everyone. My goal was to finish with the World Cup, it would have been the sixth, but unfortunately life did not want it. I'm not even angry. I like white or black or black and white together. I left at 40 because there was a very strong goalkeeper like Donnarumma, it seemed the most logical thing to me'.
With him in goal, the bianconeri also reached the Champions League finals which represent a scar in the hearts of many fans, but not for Buffon: 'It was never a wound for me, but rather the stimulus to fight every year for something extremely great. If I have to make a general speech that touches the Juve world, teammates and managers, I was very sorry for them and for the fans who have been waiting for this cup for thirty years or so. For me, playing in the Champions was already a joy, winning it would have been the closure of a circle, but I do not care'.
About the choice to be a goalkeeper
Gigi revealed to all those present the beginnings of his career: 'In my amateur team I played midfielder, but with friends I also tried as a goalkeeper and occasionally I did something out of the ordinary. My father had observed this well. Only that I liked to score goals, celebrate, determine the match and when you are a child determining it means scoring goals, not avoiding it. I decided to be a goalkeeper after falling in love with N'Kono, but at the beginning it was just to take a year off and satisfy a curiosity'.
Then, the former goalkeeper continued talking about regrets: 'I like to think that my imperfection gives others an idea of humanity and makes me close to people. I made several mistakes, especially when I was young. The one I am least proud of is having bought my diploma at 18, I would not do it again because there is a note of unfairness and shortcut and I have never been one for shortcuts'.
About retirement
The moment of retirement for a footballer is very difficult and Gigi wanted to talk about when he realized that he would have to hang up his gloves: 'I decided to quit at the exact moment in Cagliari when I pulled my calf in the playoff playoff. It was the second time in a year and I realized it was better to stop. These are injuries that at a certain age repeat over time and with this discontinuity, between training and finding the routine, I felt that I still enjoyed it, but not playing in fits and starts'.
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