Juventus Goalkeeper Buffon Announces Retirement

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has announced his departure from the Turin giants after 17 years.

Buffon made the announcement at a media conference with Juventus president Andrea Agnelli at Allianz Stadium on Thursday.

He confirmed that Saturday’s Serie A home clash with Verona will be his last for the club, having helped them win the Scudetto and Coppa Italia this season.

“On Saturday I will play a match and this is the only thing that is certain. Then I will have a continuous dialogue with the President and he is aware of what’s going on around me. I would like to rely on his advice support and suggestions,” the 40-year-old said.

“15 days ago it was known I wanted to stop playing football but now some proposals on and off the pitch have arrived and one of them, off the pitch, came from Andrea (Agnelli, Juventus’ President).

“I will decide next week to follow my spirit,” he added.

The former Parma goalkeeper who joined Juventus in 2001, will make his 640th and final Serie A appearance at the weekend and he has also ruled out the possibility of joining another Italian club or dropping down the divisions.

“I am not someone who thinks it is right to end my career in who knows what third or fourth level division,” he said.

“I am a competitive animal and I wouldn’t be able to live in that situation. I wouldn’t feel at ease,” Buffon added.

The Italian international holds the record for going 974 minutes in Serie A football without conceding a goal and has kept 300 clean sheets in 655 competitive club matches.

Buffon is Italy’s most capped player with 176 games, he retired from the national team in November when Italy lost a World Cup playoff to Sweden but recently returned for the friendlies against the Netherlands on June 4, where he could make his international farewell.

He played a vital role in the Italian squad that won the 2006 World Cup.