Legendary Italian Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to Retire from Soccer at Age 45

Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon announced his retirement on Wednesday.

World football insider Fabrizio Romano first reported on Tuesday that the announcement was expected this week.

Buffon, 45, spent the 2022-23 season with Italian Serie B side Parma Calcio FC.

Buffon was due to continue with Parma through 2024, but continued 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.

Buffon struggled through numerous muscle injuries last season, most notably a hamstring ailment that kept him out three months, and Parma finished the year fourth in Serie B with a 17-10-11 record.

The Italian also reportedly received a lucrative offer to join the Saudi Pro League this summer but turned down the opportunity to land one last significant deal before retirement. He would have joined the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in securing a move to Saudi Arabia.

Buffon, who is widely considered one of the best goalkeepers to ever play the game, began his career with Parma as a 20 year old during the 1998-99 season. He spent the first three years of his career with the club before a move to Juventus ahead of the 2001-02 season.

Buffon made a name for himself with Juve, spending 19 of his 28 professional seasons with the Serie A club. He played for Juventus from 2001-18 before a move to Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain in 2018-19.

Buffon exited PSG after just one season and returned to Juventus from 2019-21 before going back to Parma for the final two years of his career.

The legendary goalkeeper won numerous trophies during his historic career, including 10 Serie A titles and a Ligue 1 title. He also helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup alongside Andrea Pirlo and Fabio Cannavaro.