Guanluigi Buffon

Well, what can I say about this legend? I wanted to celebrate his retirement from the beautiful game and his legendary status in the means of a digital illustration.

Back in the day, playing Championship Manager, on my old Dell PC, trying to scrape a goal back in the UEFA Cup against a vigorous Parma side. Despite the fact you’re already trying to worm your way through a back line containing players like Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram, you’re then halted rather abruptly by a 22-year-old goalkeeper going by the name of Guanluigi Buffon.

Not only that, but in real life, a year later, at the time a world-record transfer fee for a goalkeeper is agreed for the Italian at around £44 million (€52 million). Buffon, or Gigi, ended up being the neverending man between Italy’s sticks. Azzurri’s most capped player and once a target for Sir Alex Ferguson to replace Peter Schmeichel back in 1999.

Gigi, was a serial winner, proven by his 10 Serie A titles, numerous Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, the EUFA Cup, Ligue 1 and the 2006 World Cup. And even his dismay at failing to win any of the three Champions League finals, his legacy of being one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time will still live on. Suave and sophisticated or so I presume, though most Italian’s are though right?

I wanted to illustrate Gigi’s energy and enthusiasm for the game – which he must’ve had in abundance to have a playing career of 28 years, at Parma, Juventus, PSG and Italy. I made sure I encapsulated his achievements with the greatest trophy of them all, the World Cup.