With the referee's long whistle, the full Stade de France evolved into a "double heaven of ice and fire" with mixed sorrows and joys, and the blue Apin Ningbo Tao washed away the red flames of Iberia. The 38-year-old, Gianluigi Buffon, with his arm in a roar, met Spain at the European Cup for the fourth time in 8 years and finally heard the call to victory. Since the Start of the European Championship, Buffon has kept a clean sheet in all three starts and not conceded a single goal.
Buffon grabbed the beam again to celebrate
The excited "general attack" did not miss the "reserved program": after exchanging jerseys with Iniesta, he came to the stands where the Italian fans gathered, and with his teammates constantly booing, he simply helped run, jumped, and then angrily grabbed the crossbar - yes, he did not make mistakes, and when victory became a habit, everything became skilled.
From a penalty loss in 2008, a four-goal defeat in 2012, to a two-goal victory at the Stade de France, Buffon finally waited for the day when he crossed Spain. Eight years ago, he was preceded by Panucci, Zambrotta, Grosso and Chiellini, and now the only guy left, who majored in economics and trade at university, has opened the door to victory for Conte's team.
Chiellini scored the Spanish goal
Pele sealed the win
In 2008, Buffon was 30 years old, although he experienced the regret of being killed in the European Cup, his career suddenly seemed like a new life - from that year on, Buffon's years seemed to come to an abrupt end, 30, 31, 32, 33 until 38, age, seems to become a meaningless number. As a result, in the recent 2015-16 season, Buffon also set a record for the longest goal-free goal in Serie A history with 974 minutes of clean sheets. The names Rossi, Zoff, Dabozo, and Pelizzoli were all left behind by him.
After setting the record, Buffon published an open letter to the "goal":
When I first stood in front of you, I was only 12 years old. Although following the steps would have given me a safer career, I still changed my options. It's the choice of the mind, it's the choice of instinct. From the day I turned my back on you, I began to fall in love with you. I want to protect you, I am the first and last line of defense in front of you.
I swear, I'm going to do everything I can to protect your face. Every time I face you head-on, I know I've let you down, and that feeling is painful.
We are always opposed, but we are also complementary. Like the sun and the moon in the sky, we must live together, but we cannot touch each other. We're lifelong teammates, but we can't have any contact. I vowed 25 years ago to protect you from enemy attacks. Compared to my own happiness and health, I always think about everything about you first. Every time I look at you, I don't dare to look at your head down and the look of disappointment, which makes me feel guilty.
When I first turned my back on you, I was 12 years old. As long as my legs, head, and heart allow, then I will always and always guard you.
After the match, Buffon and Cassie greeted each other
Getting older, but getting better, Buffon conceded a goal on average 3.94 saves in 2015-16, a statistic that is unparalleled in europe's five major leagues. Perhaps, as Buffon himself said, his career has only just begun after the age of 30, "although I have gradually lost my talent, I have become more professional, and in this new world, I am always looking for my own efforts and improvements." 」 ”
Before the start of this European Championship, Chiellini said: "No matter how hard the opponent pounces, we will still keep hope, as long as he is there, as long as everyone sees him, everything will not be a problem - we still have Buffon, Buffon will save us." 」 In the 89th minute of the match against Spain, Pique's tackle almost equalized, but like Chiellini said, the Italian still had Buffon, the unsurpassed Buffon.
Buffon's Reserved Program
No one can fight against the cruelty of time, but sometimes the indomitability, stubbornness and paranoia of some people can be briefly stalemated with time. Perhaps Kirai's European Cup oldest record will not last long, as we all know – the future belongs to Gianluigi Buffon...