Gianluigi Buffon has revealed how he chose Parma to become his next club, a decision that even his wife didn’t see coming.
The veteran goalkeeper has just left Juventus after serving them for around two decades following his record-breaking transfer to Turin from his latest club in 2001.
He won the Coppa Italia in his last season at Juve and at 43 one would expect him to be thinking about retirement.
However, the former PSG goalkeeper has now returned to Parma where he could finally retire after his stint with them.
He had interest from several top European clubs and he was expected to join one of them.
However, he stunned everyone by moving back to Parma who has just been relegated from Serie A.
Speaking about the move recently, he said he wanted to make a choice that suits him and reveals that even his wife couldn’t have predicted that he would choose a return to Parma at this stage of his career.
“The only message I wanted to send with this choice was to myself, not anyone else,” Buffon said as quoted by Football Italia.
“I know myself and realise that if I am not emotionally invested, I don’t perform as well. I considered my options for three weeks until one day it just hit me like a sneeze. I sent a message to my wife that we were going to Parma. She didn’t expect it, but she trusts me and my sensations.”
Buffon’s decision to return to his boyhood club in their hour of need should come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed the man over his long and illustrious career. He makes decisions from the heard and stands by them. After the Paris sojourn and playing backup to a decent keeper , but one of lesser talent and experience, at Juventus, a 2 year stint at Parma makes perfect sense as a last act of his career. Assuming he becomes a key force in bringing them back to Serie A (which I’d put a decent wager on) and keeps them up in year 2, he bows out with another astonishing achievement. I’d never bet against Buffon’s success when his heart and will are both fully committed.