Gigi Buffon on Final Game: Maybe I’ll Headbutt Someone on the Pitch, Like Zidane

Gianluigi Buffon will play his 1,000th senior match tomorrow night as Italy host Albania, and the goalkeeper has been speculating about what may happen in his last ever game.

Buffon has stated in the past that he will hang up his gloves and walk away from football after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

And with another legend of the game in Lukas Podolski playing his final game for Germany against England last night, the Juventus shot-stopper was asked today how he’d like to bow out.

Buffon, as mischievous as ever, replied by referencing Zinedine Zidane’s final professional appearance, when he headbutted Italy defender Marco Materazzi and was sent off during the 2006 World Cup final.

A game for which Buffon was between the sticks as the Azzurri won the trophy.

He said, “How do I imagine my last ever game?

“Maybe I’ll go out like Zidane, headbutting someone on the pitch!”

The 39-year-old added, “But before I think about how I’ll end my career, we need to go to the World Cup in Russia in 2018. Maybe it [my last game] could be at the World Cup.

“I still have some time to think about it though.”