At a time when rumours of his transfer to PSG are ripe, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma penned an emotional goodbye message for his boyhood club AC Milan. Donnarumma played a major role in Italy’s Euro 2020 victory over England in the final. The 22-year-old saved the penalty kicks of Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka to seal the victory for Azurri in the shootout after 120 minutes of football was not enough to separate the two sides in the final.
“Some choices are difficult, but they are part of a man’s growth,” the 22-year-old, whose contract at San Siro expired this summer, explained on Instagram.
Donnarumma spent six seasons as Milan’s first-choice goalkeeper after making his Serie A debut back in 2015.
“I arrived at Milan when I was little more than a child, for eight years I wore this shirt with pride, we fought, suffered, won, cried, celebrated, together with my teammates, my coaches, all those who have made and are part of the Club, together with our fans who are an integral part of what has been a family for many years. In the Rossoneri shirt, I also achieved personal goals, such as my debut at 16 in Serie A. I lived through extraordinary years that I will never forget,” he said.
Aged 16 years and 242 days, Donnarumma was the second-youngest keeper to play a Serie A match. He also broke the record as the youngest Italy under-21 player ever to play, aged 17 years and 28 days in March 2016. Six months later, he made his senior international debut, becoming the youngest goalkeeper ever to appear for Italy, aged 17 years and 189 days.
“Now the time has come to say goodbye, a choice that was not easy, indeed, and certainly a post is not enough to explain it, or perhaps it cannot even be explained because the deepest feelings can hardly be translated into words. What I can say is that sometimes it is right to choose to change, to face different challenges, to grow, to complete oneself.”
“All the Rossoneri I met, from the first to the last day, will always remain in my heart as an important, indeed fundamental part of the life path that made me what I am. I wish Milan all possible successes and I do it with my heart, for the affection that binds me to these colors, a feeling that distance and time cannot erase.”
Donnarumma was also included in the UEFA Team of the tournament alongside four Italian players – Leonardo Bonucci, Leonardo Spinazzola, Jorginho, and Federico Chiesa.
