Legend Buffon admits to depression
By Martin Sanders • Nov 14th, 2008 • Category: Legends
Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has openly admitted that he once suffered from depression.
The 30 year-old told La Stampa, who published extracts from his new autobiography ‘Numero Uno’, that during a period of success on the pitch, off it he was reciving psychological help.
“From December 2003 until June 2004 I was suffering from depression, I was seeing a psychologist,” he said. “I never understood why, not then, not before and not after.”
The turmoil that Buffon was going through personally was in contrast to his performances for Juventus and Italy. He was building his reputation as the world’s best goalkeeper, whilst the national team was moving towards FIFA World Cup™ success in 2006.
“I wasn’t satisfied with my life and football, which is my job. My legs would start shaking all of a sudden,” he said. “It was a dark period because I am a sunny and optimistic person. I was thinking how can rich and normal people suffer from depression?”
Eventually with professional help Buffon was able to move on to become a world champion in 2006 and double championship winner under Fabio Capello for Juventus.
“It happened all of a sudden, where I used to be scared of going to (the pitch). At the European Championships in Portugal during the match between Italy and Denmark, a horrendous match, I was the only one smiling.”
Martin Sanders is the Retail Manager at Great-Save.com. Martin mixes his day between helping customers on the telephone, designing eye-catching advertising campaigns and producing our product photography.
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