Gianluigi Buffon, head of the Italian national team delegation, has shared his thoughts ahead of the 2026 World Cup playoff draw. The former Juventus and Italy goalkeeper also reflected on the recent heavy defeat to Norway at San Siro, offering a calm and optimistic perspective on the team’s current state.
“We await these playoffs with anticipation and enthusiasm”
Buffon began by addressing the mood surrounding the upcoming playoffs:
“We await these playoffs with anticipation and enthusiasm. People in Italy often fear the worst and see ghosts everywhere. We’re following a difficult and delicate path — the kind that always ends with tears and regret. But for Italy, I hope these will be two important matches approached with awareness of who we are, what we’re worth, and our history.”
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“Norway are among the top five or six teams in the world”
Buffon then spoke about the 3–1 loss to Norway, a result that sparked much debate among fans and pundits.
“The defeat was disappointing for the result more than for the performance,” he explained. “In every positive journey there’s always a setback — what matters is how you react. In the first half we didn’t let them have a single shot and had several chances to make it 2–0. Up until the 78th minute it was 1–1, which shows we’re ultra-competitive because we stayed in the match all the way.”
Buffon also praised Norway’s quality and physical strength. “Beyond everything, Norway are among the top five or six teams in the world in terms of quality. They’ve got enthusiasm, great physicality, and three outstanding players who give them a 1.5 or 2-goal head start in every match,” he said.
“I’d prefer to avoid Sweden and Poland”
Looking ahead to potential opponents in the playoff rounds, Buffon was also candid about his preferences:
“I’d like to avoid Sweden in the semi-final and Poland in the final. All the other teams are matches we can play and win with a very good chance of success.”
