Distraught veteran goalkeeper Gigi Buffon quits after Italy lose to Sweden in play-offs, failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years

Gianluigi Buffon called time on his 175-cap international career following the confirmation of Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup. The Juventus goalkeeper kept a clean sheet against Sweden at San Siro but his outfield teammates failed to score the goals that could have overturned the Scandinavians' 1-0 advantage in the two-legged 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 tournament, he is taking his leave early.