Buffon: ‘Easier to see 1,000 aliens rather than Italy not qualifying for three World Cups’

Gianluigi Buffon has opened up about his recent departure from the national team set-up and has admitted that if you’d asked him 12 years ago, he would have said ‘it’s much easier to see 1,000 aliens around me rather than Italy not qualifying for three consecutive World Cups’. 

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Buffon discusses Italy’s World Cup failure: ‘We need to change’

Buffon was part of the Italy set-up, serving as the head of delegation until the beginning of April, but left his position along with national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina following the failure to overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final. 

The CT role has temporarily been handed over to U21s head coach Silvio Baldini, who will lead a youthful Italy side into a pair of friendlies in June while others put in their final preparations ahead of the 2026 World Cup. 

“It has been a painful page for Italian football and myself,” said Buffon in a feature interview with The Guardian as part of the promotion of his new book Saved.

Buffon admits that it would have been inconceivable for Italy to miss out on three consecutive World Cups during the height of his playing career: “If they had told me this would happen [12] years ago I would have said that it’s much easier to see 1,000 aliens around me rather than Italy not qualifying for three tournaments consecutively. But that’s the reality.

“In order to overcome this we need to understand why there are difficulties. We need to change. If we are clear about this analysis, we have the potential to create a much better future. But if you deny there is a problem, then that problem will always be there.”

Buffon believes that there are three fundamental issues that have harmed the national team: “The first is globalisation, which has made it possible for all teams to be very competitive, and the average level of play has increased a lot. 

“Secondly, up to 15 years ago when we used to win, we were stronger tactically than our opponents. And thirdly, we have some fantastic players but what’s missing is the truly creative talent like [Roberto] Baggio, [Alessandro] Del Piero or [Francesco] Totti that used to help us prevail.”