BUFFON NEED NOT BEAT HIMSELF UP
Football sometimes is a funny profession. Most of the ones we have out there operate on a clean system of rewards for its greatest achievers.
The scientists have their Nobel, the corporate business world their promotions while the Actors have their Oscar and Academy awards.
Although soccer has its own system, its being more of a collective sport than individual means some players are bound to be caught between the cross fires of team and personal efforts.
The best way to escape, as Ronaldo has shown,is be among and compete with the best no matter what it takes.
Some players though, maybe due to sentiments and emotions, find it hard to be surgical about their desires. Francesco Totti is an example. The retired Roma captain found it hard to cut the apron strings of the city he was born and bred, to entertain the thought of waking up and finding himself in some far away land just so he could stock more silverware into his show glass.
Juventus goal keeper Gianluigi Buffon is another one that came close. Although with the Bianconeri, Buffon had the chance to every major trophy except one that totally deluded him – the Champions League.
The business minded soul of modern football and the increasing need to have shiny trophies to show off have eaten away the innocent side of the beautiful game and maybe that may be right as fans are happy but it would still be inhumane to ignore the little things that can still count. That is if you are spoilt enough to count appearing in three Champions League final as little.
Buffon will always be a great player, his individual performance and professional conduct has made sure of that and not even the unluckiness at being the wrong side of three finals will dent his shine.
He need not beat himself up any more.
