I'm a World Cup-winning legend and 10-time Serie A champion who is set to quit playing aged 45 for new job

The Sun
 
I'm a World Cup-winning legend and 10-time Serie A champion who is set to quit playing aged 45 for new job

W0RLD CUP-WINNING legend Gianluigi Buffon is set to quit playing football for a new job.

The 45-year-old is expected to hang up his boots and end a career which has seen him win ten Serie A titles.

After 28 years in professional football, Buffon is set to announce his retirement.

According to multiple reports in Italy, the legendary goalkeeper's official announcement is expected in the next week.

He will then join the Italian national team's coaching staff, fronting Roberto Mancini's backroom team.

During his career, Buffon made 1,175 appearances, with his first coming all the way back in November 1995.

Buffon started his career with Parma, winning the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia before being sold to Juventus in 2001.

Across 17 years in Turin, he won ten league titles as well as the 2006 World Cup with Italy.

After a single season in France with PSG, the keeper re-joined Juve in 2019 for another two seasons.

Buffon's career then went full circle in 2021 as he returned to boyhood club Parma following their relegation to Serie B.

He has been unable to earn them promotion, though, narrowly missing out last term.

Parma finished fourth in the table to qualify for the play-offs, but were beaten in the semi-finals by Cagliari.

Buffon had been linked with a shock transfer last month before news of his retirement broke.

An unnamed club in Saudi Arabia reportedly offered the veteran a £25million-a-year deal, but they were unable to convince him to keep playing.