According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, legendary Italian goalkeeper
Buffon (name)
will be officially transferred this September
Italian national team
sports director
, taking on more specific job responsibilities. The decision was made after the Italian national team failed to reach the last eight of this summer's European Cup and performed unsatisfactorily.
In this summer's European Cup, the Italian national team failed to meet expectations and finished in the last eight. The result triggered extensive reflection and discussion. Buffon, as the leader of the national team, once considered resigning and leaving. However, Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that eventually the Italian Football Federation succeeded in convincing Buffon to continue to play for the national team and was ready to let him move to the position of sports director in September this year.
Buffon served as the leader of the Italian national team after announcing his retirement last August. During the Euros, he was not assigned a specific job and was more of a mascot, spending most of his energy signing autographs and taking pictures for fans. Buffon did not want to continue in this role, so the Italian Football Federation decided to give him more responsibilities.
A few days ago, Italian Football Federation (IFF) president Gravina, national team boss Luciano Spalletti, and national team and youth team coordinator Viscidi had a joint meeting with Buffon to discuss his new position and job remit. Buffon will be the national team's sporting director starting with the national team games this September. He will be closer to the team and the pitch without hindering Spalletti's coaching work, keeping in touch and communicating with the players and the club, and assisting the manager in better managing the national team.
A number of other European national teams have also installed sporting directorships, such as Voller for the German national team, who serves as a buffer link between the national team and the German Football Association (DFB). Francis Hernandez, the director of this year's European Cup winners, the Spanish national team, was also a past collaborator of manager De La Fuente when he was with the national youth team.
Previously, Italian Football Federation President Gravina once proposed to ask veteran coach Lippi to become the national team's sports director, but this made it difficult for manager Spalletti to accept. And Buffon's role is positioned not as a rival to the coach, but to bring extra help to the national team. His addition would allow Spalletti to focus on directing the national team's training and matches, freeing him from the complexities of off-field relations with the federation and clubs.
