Watching Gigi Buffon add to a career of incredible saves on a weekly basis, it’s easy to forget that the Juventus captain has been at the top of his game for over two decades. The story of his 1995 debut – where he helped Parma earn an improbable 0-0 draw against an all-conquering AC Milan side – has been told repeatedly, and seeing the goalkeeper continue to defy Father Time simply confirms he is a once-in-a-generation talent that ranks among the very best ever to play the game.
But even he cannot go on forever, and the search for a replacement in Italy has had numerous false dawns, with many young prospects failing to reach anything approaching the level of the 2006 World Cup winner. Now it seems the latest hopeful has arrived at the very place Buffon’s journey began, with the San Siro now home to Gianluigi Donnarumma, a shot-stopper who appears as predestined for glory as the Azzurri’s undisputed no.1 always has.
Just outside Naples, the small coastal town of Castellammare di Stabia is not only his birthplace, but also that of Italy international Fabio Quagliarella, as well as fellow goalkeepers Antonio Mirante, Gennaro Iezzo and Donnarumma’s own brother Antonio, who has also spent time with Milan. Both were coached by Ernesto Ferrara, whose reputation for developing young talent is renowned across the peninsula, and his latest pupil would attract nationwide attention.
Inter would look to sign him, but despite an impressive trial with them, the then-13 year old opted to follow a different path. “Milan stepped in almost immediately and, after calling the President of my club, they decided to take me,” Donnarumma said in a recent interview with VivoAzzurro.it. “Milan are the team of my heart, I have always supported the Rossoneri and my dream was to become one of them.”
He would impress in the club’s youth sector over the following two years, and in the final two games of 2014/15, Filippo Inzaghi would hand Donnarumma a place on the bench. The former striker was replaced by Siniša Mihajlović over the summer, but he would keep the now 6 ft 5 in (1.96m) giant in the first team squad, sending him on for the last 30 minutes of a pre-season friendly with Real Madrid.
The game went to a penalty shootout which the Spanish side eventually won 10-9, but Donnarumma’s spot-kick save from Toni Kroos quickly went viral. Once the league campaign got underway, Diego López – arguably Milan’s best player last term – would continue as first choice, with the youngster returning to the bench. Beside him was veteran goalkeeper Christian Abbiati, who made his debut for the Rossoneri in January 1999, a month before his young team-mate was even born.
But the team would struggle, winning just three of their first eight league games and shipping an unacceptable 14 goals along the way, a total worse than all but one team in Serie A. Never one to hold back, Mihajlović placed the blame for last month’s draw with Torino squarely on López’s shoulders. The Serbian was seen on Sky Italia asking goalkeeping Coach Alfredo Magni “how does he concede there?” after Daniele Baselli’s near post equaliser saw the Granata snatch a point from the visitors.
It seems that was the final straw, with Mihajlović announcing at a press conference that Donnarumma would start the next game. While running out at San Siro was the realisation of his childhood dream, the match with Sassuolo would show the 16 year old still has much to learn as he was completely wrong-footed by Domenico Berardi’s second half free kick. Milan would emerge 2-1 winners however, and the youngster would keep his place after some ringing endorsements of his ability.
“I decided to give Gigi his chance because I don't look at a player's age, only how well he's playing,” Mihajlović would say, while López called Donnarumma “the future of Milan and of Italian football.” His error was lambasted by some sections of the Italian press, to which club Vice President Adriano Galliani simply asked “what were they doing at 16?”
Indeed, it must be noted that only one younger goalkeeper – Pescara’s Gianluca Pacchiarotti – had ever played in Serie A, and he was a staggering thirteen months younger than Buffon was back in 1997. Against Chievo, the Rossoneri kept their first clean sheet of the campaign, and Donnarumma would play a major role in his third consecutive game as Milan beat Lazio 3-1 last weekend.
In a commanding display, he dominated his area while making a string of fine saves from Senad Lulić and Felipe Anderson, while showing skill and no small amount of confidence to take the ball past the latter inside his own box. He also ensured his defenders knew what he expected from them, repeatedly barking instructions at seasoned internationals such as Alex and Philippe Mexès, with the game fully showcasing Donnarumma’s immense potential.
The Frenchman responded with encouragement and high fives, displaying the leadership he is so often accused of lacking as he helped the youngster deal with Lazio chasing the game. With three impressive displays and a victory in each outing, it seems he will continue between the posts for the foreseeable future.
Looming on the horizon immediately after the international break is Milan’s trip to Juventus Stadium, where the two Gigis will go head-to-head for the first time. “I have Buffon’s example right in front of me and he’s the greatest,” Donnarumma noted recently, going on to say that he hopes to take over from him in the national team.
It is still far too early for the Juve legend to be passing the torch, but if the latest young pretender continues to develop the way he has, the future will be in safe hands.
