Perennial Italian super stopper Gianluigi Buffon has set a retirement date

All good things come to an end, even for a legend of football.

Goalkeepers can now play well past their 40s due to the marvels of modern fitness, but even father time is catching up with Juventus and Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon. The Republic of Ireland are likely to face the 37-year old in this year European championships, but the netminder has confirmed that this summer's action in France, will be his penultimate at international level. The long serving goalkeeper, who is widely regarded at still one of the best in the world, has confirmed that if Italy make it to the Word Cup in Russia in 2018, then he will bow out on football's biggest stage.

"If I can push myself up to the 2018 World Cup then I’ll go on.  After that I’ll close the door and stop playing football.”

The goalkeeper turns 38 this Thursday, and Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta admits that he would love to see the former Parma man stay at the club for as long as he wants.

"Buffon has a blank page, he decides his own destiny. He can stay here as long as he wants.”

We'll be sad to see him go, but let's just enjoy the next two years of facial expressions like this. https://twitter.com/KhaledAlNouss/status/691372013605232640 And saves like this https://twitter.com/OhWhatTheVine/status/690610423201161217