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Saved: The definitive memoir of the greatest goalkeeper of all time
‘He wore number one. He was the number one. He truly is one of one’ James Horncastle, Serie A reporter for The Athletic
‘A superb and revealing autobiography’ John Foot, author of A History of Italian Football
'Few could debut at seventeen against that Milan and keep a clean pair of shorts, let alone a clean sheet, but Gigi did' James Richardson, The Totally Football Show
_____________________
On 19 November 1995, the world learned the name Gianluigi Buffon. At the tender age of seventeen he made his Serie A debut for Parma against European giants Milan, facing down the likes of Roberto Baggio and George Weah, keeping a clean sheet. During his twenty-eight-year long career Buffon broke many records
- The most capped goalkeeper of all time and the most appearance for Italy (176)
- The most Serie A titles (10)
- The longest time in Serie A without conceding a goal (974 minutes)
The numbers, however, only tell half the story of a player famously nicknamed “Superman” for his athletic prowess.
In Saved Buffon reveals that even superheroes struggle with their inner demons. Beyond his individual triumphs with Parma, Juventus and PSG – the famous World Cup win in 2006 – Buffon reflects on his deeply human challenges off the pitch.
He describes being devoured by depression between games and the psychological toll of being a goalkeeper – the loneliest position in football - often finding solace in talking to his gloves. He opens up about his gambling, smoking during matches and the strains on his relationships which became fodder for the press. Buffon’s are the struggles of a man whose talents and flaws co-exit.
Saved is both a meditation on the art of goalkeeping and a love letter to the golden age of Italian football.
‘A superb and revealing autobiography’ John Foot, author of A History of Italian Football
'Few could debut at seventeen against that Milan and keep a clean pair of shorts, let alone a clean sheet, but Gigi did' James Richardson, The Totally Football Show
_____________________
On 19 November 1995, the world learned the name Gianluigi Buffon. At the tender age of seventeen he made his Serie A debut for Parma against European giants Milan, facing down the likes of Roberto Baggio and George Weah, keeping a clean sheet. During his twenty-eight-year long career Buffon broke many records
- The most capped goalkeeper of all time and the most appearance for Italy (176)
- The most Serie A titles (10)
- The longest time in Serie A without conceding a goal (974 minutes)
The numbers, however, only tell half the story of a player famously nicknamed “Superman” for his athletic prowess.
In Saved Buffon reveals that even superheroes struggle with their inner demons. Beyond his individual triumphs with Parma, Juventus and PSG – the famous World Cup win in 2006 – Buffon reflects on his deeply human challenges off the pitch.
He describes being devoured by depression between games and the psychological toll of being a goalkeeper – the loneliest position in football - often finding solace in talking to his gloves. He opens up about his gambling, smoking during matches and the strains on his relationships which became fodder for the press. Buffon’s are the struggles of a man whose talents and flaws co-exit.
Saved is both a meditation on the art of goalkeeping and a love letter to the golden age of Italian football.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2026
Vulnerable, relatable and brutally honest.
When I first heard that Gigi has released his biography I was very excited to read it, unfortunately it took a few months for the English translation to be released as well -thanks to John Foot- and I didn't waste any time to get it.
The one thing that caught my attention the most about this book is how diplomatic and respectful Buffon was throughout the entire span of it, confirmed by him near the end when he describes himself as a people pleaser who always tries to find a compromise. It's not an interesting read for those looking to stir a controversy for sure.
It was also refreshing to see the greatest goalkeeper of all time who seemed distant and professional throughout his entire career as a human being with weaknesses, self-doubts and disappointments no different from any average person. You'd imagine someone like him to be super proud of himself but the truth is there are always more failures than successes in life regardless of the superficial image.
The only thing I wish was different about this book is if it was a bit longer and more detailed, a lot of stories and events which were/are very interesting were passed quickly while I was happily prepared to read 20 more pages on them.
Overall a very enjoyable and interesting read that I consider to be a memoir example for athletes to follow in terms of diplomacy and avoiding controversy.
When I first heard that Gigi has released his biography I was very excited to read it, unfortunately it took a few months for the English translation to be released as well -thanks to John Foot- and I didn't waste any time to get it.
The one thing that caught my attention the most about this book is how diplomatic and respectful Buffon was throughout the entire span of it, confirmed by him near the end when he describes himself as a people pleaser who always tries to find a compromise. It's not an interesting read for those looking to stir a controversy for sure.
It was also refreshing to see the greatest goalkeeper of all time who seemed distant and professional throughout his entire career as a human being with weaknesses, self-doubts and disappointments no different from any average person. You'd imagine someone like him to be super proud of himself but the truth is there are always more failures than successes in life regardless of the superficial image.
The only thing I wish was different about this book is if it was a bit longer and more detailed, a lot of stories and events which were/are very interesting were passed quickly while I was happily prepared to read 20 more pages on them.
Overall a very enjoyable and interesting read that I consider to be a memoir example for athletes to follow in terms of diplomacy and avoiding controversy.
June 4, 2026
In Saved, Gianluigi Buffon traces his life from a boy discovering football to retiring at forty-five. It is not a standard chronological retrospective. It is something closer to a psychological confession, an honest account of the internal weight carried by one of the greatest goalkeepers who ever played. As an Milan supporter, Buffon is not my idol. I had very specific reasons not to like him, and most of them trace back to February 25, 2012.
That was the night Sulley Muntari's shot crossed the line at the San Siro, Buffon palmed it back into play, and the referee saw nothing. Milan failed to go top of the table. Football eventually introduced goal-line technology. These things happen in football, and controversies fade. What did not fade was what Buffon said afterwards. He stated that even if he had known the ball was over the line, he would not have told the referee. He was not going to bury his own team. That statement made Milanisti furious, and somewhere famous Muntari curse is for as long as Buffon refused to acknowledge the goal, Juventus would not win the Champions League.
In 2015 and 2017, Juventus reached the final. Both times, seeing Buffon standing in that goal brought the whole thing back. Both times, they lost. I will not pretend the curse had nothing to do with how I watched those matches.
Then he left Juventus and retired at the end of the 2022/2023 season, and I more or less forgot about it. The curse had no obvious target anymore. Then in April 2026 I read he was coming to London to launch his autobiography, and the whole chain of memory came back at once. I decided to came and bought his book. It seemed like the right time to understand what was actually going on inside his head.
I have always liked autobiographies because they use the subject's own voice, and this one does exactly that. Reading it, I finally understood why he made that statement. It was not a single moment of stubbornness. It was the product of years of accumulated pressure, the kind of pressure that shapes a mentality most people never develop. The difference between a great goalkeeper and the best goalkeeper is not only technical. It is the absolute, uncompromising need to win. Buffon had that quality, and when he spoke publicly about the ghost goal, he simply said what any competitor in that position would have thought. The referee made the mistake. Buffon just refused to correct it. Most people in that situation would have kept quiet afterwards. He did not, which is either admirable or maddening depending on which end of the pitch you were standing.
Some sections of the book feel brief, and a more sensational writer would have stretched them considerably further. But Buffon is not that kind of person, and the book reflects that honestly. I did not ask for more. It told me exactly what I needed to know.
That was the night Sulley Muntari's shot crossed the line at the San Siro, Buffon palmed it back into play, and the referee saw nothing. Milan failed to go top of the table. Football eventually introduced goal-line technology. These things happen in football, and controversies fade. What did not fade was what Buffon said afterwards. He stated that even if he had known the ball was over the line, he would not have told the referee. He was not going to bury his own team. That statement made Milanisti furious, and somewhere famous Muntari curse is for as long as Buffon refused to acknowledge the goal, Juventus would not win the Champions League.
In 2015 and 2017, Juventus reached the final. Both times, seeing Buffon standing in that goal brought the whole thing back. Both times, they lost. I will not pretend the curse had nothing to do with how I watched those matches.
Then he left Juventus and retired at the end of the 2022/2023 season, and I more or less forgot about it. The curse had no obvious target anymore. Then in April 2026 I read he was coming to London to launch his autobiography, and the whole chain of memory came back at once. I decided to came and bought his book. It seemed like the right time to understand what was actually going on inside his head.
I have always liked autobiographies because they use the subject's own voice, and this one does exactly that. Reading it, I finally understood why he made that statement. It was not a single moment of stubbornness. It was the product of years of accumulated pressure, the kind of pressure that shapes a mentality most people never develop. The difference between a great goalkeeper and the best goalkeeper is not only technical. It is the absolute, uncompromising need to win. Buffon had that quality, and when he spoke publicly about the ghost goal, he simply said what any competitor in that position would have thought. The referee made the mistake. Buffon just refused to correct it. Most people in that situation would have kept quiet afterwards. He did not, which is either admirable or maddening depending on which end of the pitch you were standing.
Some sections of the book feel brief, and a more sensational writer would have stretched them considerably further. But Buffon is not that kind of person, and the book reflects that honestly. I did not ask for more. It told me exactly what I needed to know.
June 28, 2026
Gigi’s stories are great and interesting. However, so many details are left out and there are so many moments that aren’t teased or fleshed out enough. Felt rushed. Was interesting but could have been so much better. The translation is also poor.
June 21, 2026
I loved reading about my hero!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews