Buffon and Italy are out

GIANLUIGI Buffon called time on his 175-cap international career following the confirmation of Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup — but head coach Giampiero Ventura stopped short of resigning.

The 39-year-old Juventus goalkeeper kept a clean sheet against Sweden at the San Siro but his outfield team-mates failed to score the goals that could have over turned the Scandinavians’ 1-0 advantage i n t he t wolegged European play-off.

Buffon had already decided to hang up his national-team gloves after Russia 2018 and, with that opportunity stripped from him seven months before the t ournament, he i s taking his leave early.

In tweets from the Vivo Azzurro account, he said: “We are proud, we are strong, we are stubborn. We will pick ourselves up as we have always done.

“I am leaving a squad that will know how to pick itself up again.

“Best wishes to everybody, and especially to those with whom I have shared this beautiful journey.”

Buffon, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, continued: “The blame is divided equally among all of us. There must be no scapegoats.

“We win together and we lose together.

“I’m not feeling sorry for myself but I’m sorry about the whole affair. We blew something that could have meant so much. The main regret is that it ended like this.”

Ventura, whose contract with Italy runs until 2020, said: “I will discuss my future with the Federation. I feel I must apologise to

Gianluigi Buffon