Gianluigi Buffon, the legendary goalkeeper and current head of delegation for the Italian national team, recently presented his book *”Cadere, rialzarsi, cadere, rialzarsi”* at the Officine Grandi Riparazioni in Turin. During the event, Buffon shared personal anecdotes and reflections on pivotal moments in his illustrious career.
On Being Among the Best Goalkeepers
When asked about being considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Buffon humbly responded:
“I don’t like to define myself that way; it would be presumptuous. I have a lot of respect for all my colleagues. Along with 3-4 others, we’ve achieved something extraordinary. Strikers often argue about this kind of thing, so I say: I was the worst… Just kidding! I think I was among the top 3-4. As for my unbeaten record, I played in a fantastic team with great defenders like Chiellini. Before they reached me, Barzagli and Bonucci were already exhausted from stopping opponents.”
The Pain of Losing the 2015 Champions League Final
Buffon recalled the heartbreak following Juventus’ loss to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final:
“That final filled me with pride; I was 37 years old. After the game, at 5:30 AM, my wife Ilaria and I hugged and cried together. When I came home after Berlin, I was dazed by the defeat—like after a night of heavy drinking. I stayed in the living room while she changed; we didn’t say a word. We hugged and cried for five minutes before going to bed. Sharing those emotions means so much. Winning is always better because it gives you confidence and self-esteem, but defeats force you to reflect on what went wrong and improve.”
The Controversy with Referee Michael Oliver
Buffon also addressed his infamous outburst against referee Michael Oliver during Juventus’ Champions League loss to Real Madrid:
“I don’t like making excuses or playing the victim. That’s why, when I think back to my outburst against Oliver, I feel uncomfortable because it showed that I couldn’t accept losing. But emotions are part of life. Later at home, my wife grabbed me by the ears.” Reflecting on mistakes in his career, he added: “I’ve never made huge blunders because when I made mistakes, they only hurt me—not others. But my father once reminded me that my surname carries weight and that my errors could affect my family’s reputation. That made me think deeply.”
On Cristiano Ronaldo
Buffon shared his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo’s duality as both a player and a person:
“Cristiano is someone who, when you get to know him off-camera, reveals great sensitivity. He makes you understand the tough journey he had as a young man. He wears an armor of a superman to protect himself from everything he’s faced and to attract others to his persona. There’s a split personality: CR7 and Cristiano. As a man, I really liked him. As a player, his ruthlessness is unparalleled—I’ve never seen anything like it. If Ronaldo keeps going at this rate, maybe I’ll come out of retirement!”
