Gianluigi Buffon
The role of a goalkeeper is difficult to judge, above all if you haven't been a goalkeeper. It's like me giving an opinion on someone's job without having had any experience in their sector. You start to realise how many stupid things are said and written about goalkeepers.Collection: Experience
In my opinion, there are fewer and fewer great goalkeepers because, with respect to when I started, they have to do so much more compared with in the past.Collection: Respect
I believe in doing the right things; that is my character and personality.
I do not need to hear how I am judged by others. I know by myself if I can be satisfied or not with my work.
Messi is an alien that dedicates himself to playing with humans.
I was 12 when I turned my back on my goal. And I will keep doing it as long as my legs, my head, and my heart will allow.
I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I think that's normal for someone who wants to grow and develop. You will have to overcome plenty of obstacles, and it is normal that you should stumble sometimes.
If I do something, I do it with the idea to get to the top - without that, I would stop living.
I started to play, like all kids do, not as a goalkeeper. I liked scoring goals; in the end, it's all about scoring goals.
More than anything else, I'm a very calm person in the sense that I don't worry about the future and what my life could be. I just have to face it, and I'll face it with enthusiasm as well as the desire and curiosity to test myself.
When you're on the field, you've got to deliver. It doesn't matter what you potentially could deliver or what you might be able to deliver in future - you've got to deliver it there and then.
Not looking for excuses is the right thing to do. I have made a lot of mistakes, and I still make mistakes, but I am not ashamed to look for the reasons behind those mistakes.
The pitch is the most beautiful part of the game; it gives you emotions which bring meaning to life.
In the end, you need to be a little masochistic to be a goalkeeper. A masochist and egocentric as well.
I thought psychologists were people who rob, figuratively of course, money from the insecure. But they are not. They are people who are there to help you, and if you find a good psychologist, they will allow you to talk about everything and open up, without the slightest of fears, and that is no easy thing.
Every kid thinks about scoring rather than not conceding.
In football, you win as a group, you lose as a group; you divide the credit and the blame.
I have a wealth of experience, but I do not want to coach. I rather like the role of recruiter.
I have not lost an awful lot in my life, but the defeats have taught me more than the victories.
I do not take to the field to defend myself from certain criticisms. If I do, in this kind of career, it is because I'm very self-critical.
Up to 30 years old, I was carried by natural talent, combined with a good level of professionalism. But since turning 30, I've gained a desire to sweat in the real sense of the word, to understand where I need to improve. Competitiveness, now, is essential.
I cannot appreciate anybody who creates controversy over things which do not exist. I can tolerate controversy over things which truly happened, but not over inexistent things.
Even if I were offered twice my salary elsewhere, I would stay at Juve. Doing so would make me proud, as it is a worthy thing to do.
I have not lost an awful lot in my life, but the defeats have taught me more than the victories. Whenever I lose, I focus on the ability of my opponent and on the mistakes I made.
I took what I've been given, and I got where I did on the basis of something that is often undervalued - merit.
Who knows? I might retire at the age of 65.
People don't mind you feeling low if you are still performing. But if you've shared too much, and suddenly your performance dips, that's when they start doubting you.
I went through a lot of changes and a period of depression. I'd reached an age when I had to grow up and start taking life a bit more seriously, which had a huge impact on me. I suffered terrible anxiety, and sometimes, in the middle of a game, my legs would start shaking uncontrollably. It was pretty scary.
In this job, you accept criticism and give answers on the field.
To the fans, it does not matter a damn how you are. You are seen as the footballer, the idol, so no one thinks to stop and ask you, 'Hey, how are you?'
Maybe I'm the only footballer who isn't interested in cars. My Lancia Y gets me around.
It's fine to admit being nervous - after the event. But if you tell people you're uptight before the game, it can be like, 'That guy's got problems. We can't trust him.'
Everyone gets scared from time to time. It's totally normal, and anyone who says otherwise is a liar.
When you have the chance to play a Champions League final, you have to win it.
If I can push myself up to the 2018 World Cup, then I'll go on. After that, I'll close the door and stop playing football.
Often, there are fallacies when a journalist or a fan and sometimes even a coach who has never been a goalkeeper sees a cross in the six-yard box and says he should come out.
I followed tennis a little. I liked Lendl, Edberg, and Rafter.
Don't be a keeper.
There is certainly a future for Italian football, as we have pride, ability, determination, and after bad tumbles, we always find a way to get back on our feet.
The day I quit, I want people to be sad about it.
The important thing is to be ready when the team needs me. As long as I can do that, I consider myself satisfied and happy.
I really hate strikers.
I don't want to disrespect anyone, but it's clear that any team which has the chance to play with Messi, Suarez, and Neymar has devastating attacking power, which any coach would love at his disposal.
No record belongs to just one person, and there are no number ones outside of a group.
I don't give advice, because I always made my own mistakes and would only be adding further chaos to the situation.
Even though the Premier League is a special league, I have always wanted to stay loyal to Juventus.
How do I imagine my last-ever game? Maybe I'll go out like Zidane, headbutting someone on the pitch!
Pogba is one of those players who leaves you speechless.
I can no longer understand what the parameters are for valuing a player. It's all too random and in the hands of whoever has more money.
When you go somewhere and think it will be your last time there, you always appreciate the beauty of it even more and want to crystallise emotions that you will keep with you forever.