Juventus' Gianluigi Buffon dismisses comparisons to other goalkeepers.
The 38-year-old signed a new contract with the Bianconeri today, and is still one of the best in the world, despite making his debut over 20 years ago.
Given his longevity, it has been suggested he could even break Alessandro Del Piero’s record for Juventus appearances.
The goalkeeper has 579 appearances, while his former teammate managed 705.
Juventus' Gianluigi Buffon dismisses comparisons to other goalkeepers.
The 38-year-old signed a new contract with the Bianconeri today, and is still one of the best in the world, despite making his debut over 20 years ago.
Given his longevity, it has been suggested he could even break Alessandro Del Piero’s record for Juventus appearances.
The goalkeeper has 579 appearances, while his former teammate managed 705.
“Doing the calculations, even playing until 2018, I couldn’t get to that goal with 50 or 55 League games,” Buffon noted.
“I have to be honest, the goals I have for these years are team goals, and the desire to improve. Those are the goals I’ve set myself.
“I often brush it off when my younger colleagues tell me ‘you’re stronger than [Thibaut] Courtois or [Manuel] Neuer’.
“They’re 22, 25 or 30. I’m 38, so I think it’s right that I’m put to one side. I think about myself, my path and what I aspire to, it’s no longer the time to make comparisons.
“Also because, even before, I could be offended by certain comparisons. I prefer to shelve comparisons at my age.”
Despite his glittering career, Buffon has never won the Champions League. What will it take to win it before he retires in 2018?
“Definitely Juve still need to improve a little bit. I don’t know if that’s in terms of holding our nerve, character or focus at certain times of the game because that’s what was said after [Bayern] Munich.
“For me a goal in improving is a healthy reflection on that defeat, because I realised that I made a mistake that I never want to repeat in the future.
“After we conceded for 2-2, to have suffered so much and conceded that goal, my nervous energy and competitive spirit became overwhelmed by feelings of disappointment, which was a terrible decision in that moment.
“That’s a lesson I’ll carry with me for the next two years.”