Buffon in tears: "I leave this national team to the right guys. There is a future for Italian football"

Italy tied Sweden 0-0 at the San Siro this evening, meaning they lost the playoff 1-0 on aggregate and will miss the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Their captain, Gianluigi Buffon, spoke to Rai Sport after the match, "I am not sorry for myself but for all of Italian football. We failed at something which is also something on a social level. This is the regret, not that it has ended for me because time rules and it passes." In tears Buffon continued, "I am sad that my last match will coincide with us not qualifying for the World Cup. Those who have played know how hard these matches are. What it means both physically and psychologically to have to get a goal back. We lacked the composure to score a goal. Play-offs are decided by episodes and for them they went well and for us they went poorly. There is still a future for Italian football. We have pride, strength and we are stubborn. After the bad falls like this we find the way to rise again. I will definitely leave the national team to the right guys behind me that will have their say, Donnarumma and Perin, that will make me not regret the decision. I want to give a hug to everyone, to my Chiello (Chiellini), to my Barza (Barzagli), to my Leo (Bonucci) and my Lele (De Rossi). I wish the best luck to these guys, whose example can be followed. The manager a scapegoat? In sport we learn to win and lose as a group, to share joy and pain and to share the praise and spoils. The manager has the same blame as us."