Record-breaking Gianluigi Buffon will announce his retirement this week, so the former Parma, Juventus and PSG goalkeeper is expected to take over the Italy job that had been held by Gianluca Vialli.
The 45-year-old has decided to hang up his gloves, which means terminating the contract with Parma that was due to run until June 2024.
He also turned down a proposal for a very lucrative experience in the Saudi Pro League, preferring to call an end to his football career.
According to the Corriere dello Sport, Buffon is likely to take on a new role working with CT Roberto Mancini and the Italy squad.
It is the Team Manager position that had been held by Vialli from November 2019 to December 2022, when forced to step down due to the illness that took his life in January.
Buffon holds the all-time record for senior Italy caps at 176, having made his debut during the World Cup play-offs in October 1997 at the age of 19.
Widely considered the best goalkeeper of all time, SuperGigi won the 2006 World Cup with Italy and participated in five different World Cup editions.
He won 10 Serie A titles – or 12 if you consider the two stripped afterwards due to the Calciopoli scandal – the Ligue 1 and French Supercup with PSG, UEFA Cup at PSG, seven Supercoppa Italiana trophies and six Coppa Italia competitions.
Buffon went from winning the World Cup to dropping down into Serie B with Juventus after demotion, winning the Serie B title in 2006-07.
He was also part of the Under-21 European Championship winning Italy side in 1996.
Legend! A rare kind of gentleman that even the worst enemy has respect for. You will be missed, Superman!