French football: Gianluigi Buffon signs one-year contract with Paris SG

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Friday, July 6, 2018

Today, French-capital football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the signing of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon on a one-year contract and an option for one additional season.

40-year-old Buffon made his professional debut for Parma in 1995 at the age of seventeen. In 2001, Buffon moved to Juventus FC for a record fee of 52 million, the highest transfer fee for a goalkeeper.

Since moving to Juventus, Buffon spent seventeen seasons with the Old Lady, and featured in over 650 matches for the club. During his tenure at Juventus, Buffon won nine Italian Serie A titles and four Coppa Italia. Buffon also won a Coppa Italia while playing for Parma. Buffon maintained 300 clean-sheets in appearances for Juventus.

Buffon has also featured in three UEFA Champions League finals, in 2003, 2015 and 2017; but lost to AC Milan, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. In his last game for Juventus, Buffon was sent-off after receiving a red card and faces a three-match ban.

Internationally, Buffon has featured in 176 matches, the most by any player for Italy. In 2006, Buffon won the FIFA World Cup with the Azzuri, defeating France in the penalty shootout. Buffon retired from international football last year, after Italy failed to qualify for this year's FIFA World Cup.

After signing the one-year contract with PSG, Buffon said, "It is with a great feeling of happiness that I join Paris Saint-Germain. For the first time in my career, I am leaving my country and only a project this ambitious could have encouraged me to make such a decision." ((fr))French language: ‍C'est avec un grand sentiment de bonheur que je rejoins le Paris Saint-Germain, a réagi Gianluigi Buffon après la signature de son contrat. Pour la première fois de ma carrière, je quitte mon pays et seul un projet aussi ambitieux pouvait m’amener à prendre une telle décision.

After Buffon completed his transfer to PSG as a free agent, the club's president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi said, "The immensity of his career, as well as his ambitious personality, unifying and elegant, make him one of the most admired and respected players in world football. At 40 years old, his passion for football is intact and Gianluigi has found the ideal environment in our project to set himself extremely high objectives transmitting his experience, not only to the other goalkeepers at the club, but to all of our players." ((fr))French language: ‍L’immensité de sa carrière, ainsi que sa personnalité ambitieuse, rassembleuse et élégante, en font l’un des joueurs les plus admirés et respectés du football mondial. À 40 ans, sa passion pour le football est intacte et Gianluigi a trouvé dans notre projet le cadre idéal pour se fixer des objectifs extrêmement élevés tout en transmettant son expérience, non seulement aux autres gardiens du Club, mais également à l’ensemble de nos joueurs.

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