Gianluigi Buffon retires from football after 28 years at the top

Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football after twenty-eight professional years. (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon announced his retirement on Wednesday at 45 years of age, following a stellar career that spanned well over two decades.

On Tuesday, news filtered through several outlets that the legend between the sticks was considering hanging his boots and would call it quits imminently, against earlier expectations of him continuing for another season.

Buffon was due to continue with Parma through 2024, but recurring injuries and the club's failure to secure promotion to Serie A last season could have likely played into his decision to call it quits from the game that brought him so much fame.

Buffon struggled through numerous muscle injuries last season, most notably a hamstring ailment that kept him out for three months, and Parma finished the year fourth in Serie B by winning 17 games, drawing 10 games, and losing eleven times.

With everyone moving to Saudi Arabia, the veteran shot-stopper was courted by Saudi clubs as an opportunity for him to earn one more lucrative deal before he moves on from the pitch, but he turned it down, fueling rumors he could still have a go for one more season in Italy.

Buffon started his career with Parma as a 20-year-old in the 1998/99 season but made his name at Juventus, where he spent 19 of his 28 professional seasons, winning the league titles before going to PSG for one season, also winning the Ligue 1 in the process, before returning to Juventus.

 He also won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy. Good luck Gigi.