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The rumors have become reality: a few days after retirement, Gigi Buffon returns to blue. "This shirt has always been part of my life."
A few days after announcing the retirement, Gigi Buffon starts a new role again. The rumors of recent weeks have become reality: it is the former goalkeeper of Parma and Juventus the new Head of Delegation of the Italian national team, as communicated by the FIGC through its official website.
"Gianluigi Buffon - announces the Federation - has chosen Azzurro to start a new career in football: after having announced in recent days the retirement from the field, he will be the new Head of Delegation of the national team, the role that remained vacant after the death, in January, of Gianluca Vialli.
Buffon, primate of appearances in the national team (176), dissolved the reserves this morning, accepting the proposal received in recent days by the President of the FIGC Gabriele Gravina: from September he will be back in the Azzurro group, expected by the challenges with North Macedonia (Saturday 9 September, National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje, 20.45) Meazza", Milan at 20.45) in the race towards EURO 2024 Germany".
"I'm going back to the national team because that child who thirty years ago crossed the gate of Coverciano for the first time still wants to dream and live this dream together with the Italian fans. Since the first contact of these last days with President Gravina and then with Mauro Vladovich I had already decided to say yes, but we had to check some technical aspects
The blue jersey has always been part of my life: I wore it with pride and honored with commitment, it gave me unique emotions, I cried when we won the World Cup and when we couldn't qualify. I had the privilege of being the only goalkeeper in 113 years to be able to wear blue, in addition to the various colors of the goalkeeper jerseys and it was a tribute that I appreciated very much. The relationship with the national team from the Under 15 to the Major was visceral: every call-up, every training, every game, everything was special, because in those moments you feel like 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 up after every fall.
I will immediately put myself at the disposal of Roberto Mancini and the group - explains Buffon - entering on tiptoe, because I have always thought that in the national team the medals you have on your chest do not count but the commitment, the sacrifice, the availability towards the teammates and the staff that you are willing to put day by day. And these characteristics have always belonged to me and will also accompany me off the field. Being in the place that has been for years of Gigi Riva, an example as a man and as a footballer, is an honor and today he 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 see each other as soon as possible. Although he scored me the most beautiful goal of his career, or almost, in Parma, but I have already forgiven him, I am a person of great feelings!.
Today I finally like to remember three people who I think would be happy with this choice: Gianluca, who preceded me in this role; Davide, who with me and Daniele spent many days in the national team; Spazzolino, a good person among the first to welcome me to Coverciano ".
THE LEGACY OF GIANLUCA VIALLI
Buffon will have a delicate and, at the same time, full of meaning: to collect the legacy of Gianluca Vialli, the Head of Delegation of Italy champion of Europe in 2021, taken away from the disease at the beginning of January.
Previously, the position of Blue Head of Delegation had been occupied for years by another sacred monster like Gigi Riva, world champion in 2006 with the national team led on the bench by Marcello Lippi and, between the posts, by Buffon.
GRAVINA: "A GREAT DAY"
This is how Gabriele Gravina, president of the FIGC, said:
“It's a great day for the Italian national team, because Gigi is coming home. Buffon is an icon of our football and a special person. His passion, charisma and professionalism will be instrumental in writing an exciting new page of this extraordinary love story that is the blue jersey. I am personally very satisfied because bringing him back to Club Italia, involving him in our project, was my goal for some time. In him I see the qualities of a high-profile executive and in FIGC he can start the second half of his life in the world of football. The wish I offer him is to live it with the same satisfactions that have dotted his career as a footballer".
BUFFON'S BLUE LOVE STORY
Buffon made his debut at the age of 19 with the Italy jersey, after the batting in the youth selections, on October 29, 1997, against Russia, under the snow of Moscow in the play-off that would later take the national team coached by Cesare Maldini to the French World Cup.
Altogether there are 176 presences of Buffon with the Italy shirt. The last one on November 13, 2017, the night of the unfortunate play-off against Sweden, a 0-0 that prevented the then Juventus goalkeeper from becoming the only footballer in history to play six World Cups.
As soon as he retired from football, at the age of 45, Buffon was unable to resist the call of the blue. He too will thus be part of the reconstruction process, like the former comrade of a thousand battles Andrea Barzagli, who has been officially included in the staff of Roberto Mancini for a few hours.