Buffon wished he had played in more World Cups for Italy | OneFootball

Gianluigi Buffon enjoyed one of the longest careers in modern football and represented Italy at five World Cups, a tally that could have reached seven had circumstances unfolded differently. The Juventus icon first appeared on the global stage at the 1998 World Cup as a young member of the national team, before featuring again in the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions. His continued excellence meant he was still an active professional when the 2018 tournament arrived, yet Italy’s failure to qualify denied him the opportunity to extend his remarkable run.

Missed opportunities in 2018 and 2022

Buffon remained determined to compete at the highest level and was still playing in 2022 while working to secure a place in the Azzurri squad for the World Cup in Qatar. However, Italy again missed out on qualification, marking their second successive absence from the competition. These setbacks effectively ended Buffon’s chance of adding to his record, leaving him on five tournaments. Even if Italy qualify for the 2026 World Cup, he will only be able to travel in an official capacity rather than as a player, bringing a definitive end to his World Cup ambitions.

(Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Buffon reflects on World Cup memories

The former goalkeeper has now reflected on his time with the national team and acknowledged that he wished he had participated in at least one more tournament. Speaking via Tuttomercatoweb, he said, “I remember that the first and last pages always said FIFA World Cup, and that memory will always stay with me. Then, of course, the memory of the 2006 World Cup, which we won with Italy. And the sadness of not having played in a sixth World Cup. Because I would have been the only player in current history to play in six World Cups. But in 2018, and again in 2022, Italy didn’t qualify. That’s when I realised that fate was telling me: ‘You have to stop after five.’”