Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois hopes to play on for as long as idol Gianluigi Buffon

Legend | Juventus and Italy star Gianluigi Buffon
Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images
Simon Johnson26 May 2017

Thibaut Courtois has set his sights on emulating the longevity of his idol Gianluigi Buffon, and also wants to keep playing until the age of 39.

Buffon has been one of the best keepers in the world for the past two decades and will be in goal for Juventus in the Champions League Final against Real Madrid next week.

Courtois told Standard Sport: “To see Buffon playing to such a level at this age is great. I’m 25 and he is 14 years older than me. Obviously if I can still play at the level he is in 14 years’ time, I will be very satisfied.

“Obviously I hope nothing happens — injuries can always change the future. But I love football, I enjoy being on the training pitch, in the stadium. I guess I will still feel the same in 10 to 15 years’ time and I hope in that moment I can still produce and be at this level.”

The Belgium international is rated very highly too, but admits he has not reached Buffon’s standard yet.

“It’s not only his talent and quality, he also brings leadership, experience and that aura which makes strikers afraid of him,” he said.

“If you watched Juventus’ win over Barcelona in the Champions League (3-0 on aggregate), the Barcelona players were forcing a lot to score.

“You felt the ball was never going to go in and maybe that had something to do with his aura. If it was another keeper, maybe they would have shot easier on target and scored.

“If you’re a great keeper you have that quality. I have it in a way already, but Buffon and Iker Casillas still have something special and are a different category of goalkeeper.”

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