The legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon spoke about one of the toughest moments in his career when he experienced a sudden panic attack that almost ended his football journey.

The incident dates back to February 2004 before his team Juventus's match against Reggina, where he felt shortness of breath and severe dizziness during the warm-up, amid a negative atmosphere surrounding the team at that time.

Buffon explained that he didn't understand what was happening to him, as he felt a mysterious fear as if he were facing the danger of death, without realizing that he was experiencing a panic attack. He tried to hide it at first, but he couldn't continue, so he asked the goalkeeping coach to prepare a substitute after realizing he was unable to play. The reassuring words he received, that he wasn't obliged to participate, were a turning point that helped him regain some control over himself.

Despite his difficult mental state, Buffon decided to play the match, driven by a greater fear of losing his entire career if he withdrew. As the minutes passed, his performance gradually improved, and he even made crucial saves that contributed to his team's victory, in a moment he described as a personal triumph before being an athletic one.

After that incident, Buffon realized he was facing a deeper problem, especially with the persistence of insomnia and negative thoughts, prompting him to begin a journey of understanding and dealing with his mental state. Later, the team doctor suggested he might be suffering from depression, marking the beginning of his true awareness of mental health. He confirmed that this experience changed his perspective on life and the pressures faced by players.