Gianluigi Buffon on national team: ‘Honor and pride’
Gianluigi Buffon on national team: ‘Honor and pride’
Gianluigi Buffon is officially the new head of delegation for the Italian national team. A few days after announcing his competitive retirement, the former Parma, Juventus, Psg and Italy goalkeeper has chosen to start a new path within the Federation.
Buffon will take Gianluca Vialli’s place and will begin his new adventure on September 4: “I’m going back to the national team because that child who crossed the gate of Coverciano for the first time 30 years ago still wants to dream and to live this dream together with the Italian fans. Since the first contact in the last few days with President Gravina and then with Mauro Vladovich I had already decided to say yes, but we had to verify some technical aspects; the National Team comes first and nothing would have prevented me from returning home.”
“The Azzurra jersey has always been part of my life: I wore it with pride and honored it with commitment, it gave me unique emotions, I cried when we won the World Cup and when we failed to qualify. I had the privilege of being able to be the only goalkeeper in 113 years to be able to wear the Azzurro, in addition to the various colors of goalkeeper jerseys, and it was a tribute that I greatly appreciated. The relationship with the National Team from the Under 15 to the Majors has been visceral: every call-up, every training session, every game, everything has been special, because in those moments you feel you are there to represent your Nation, your people, and that immense responsibility has always given me the strength not to give up and to get back up after every fall. I will immediately make myself available to Roberto Mancini and the group by entering on tiptoe, because I have always thought that in the national team it is not the medals you have on your chest that count but the commitment, the sacrifice, the availability towards your teammates and staff that you are willing to put in day by day.”
“These characteristics have always belonged to me and will accompany me off the field as well. To be in the place that was for years Gigi Riva’s, an example as a man and as a footballer, is an honor and today will be the first person I will talk to to get some suggestions from him. Then of course I will also hear from the CT with whom we will meet as soon as possible. Although he scored me the most beautiful goal of his career, or almost, in Parma (Parma – Lazio, January 17, ’99, the heel goal for the momentary 1-2, then it will be 1-3 ed.), but I have already forgiven him, I am a person of great feelings!”
“Finally, today I like to remember three people who I think would be happy with this choice: Gianluca, who preceded me in this role; Davide, who with Daniele and me spent many days in the national team; Spazzolino, a good person among the first to welcome me to Coverciano.”
