Gianluigi Buffon wants FIFA to increase size of goalposts, fans troll Andre Onana over comments
Gianluigi Buffon, once former Juventus goalkeeper, suggested that FIFA expand the goalpost’s size, and football fans mocked Andre Onana of Manchester United. Given the characteristics of the modern game, the 2006 World Cup winner feels that the goalpost measurement, in place since 1875, makes it more difficult to score goals.
According to Tribuna, Buffon proposed in an interview with Tuttosport that the goal’s size be widened to offset the faster tempo of modern games. Gianluigi Buffon gave in and said he didn’t have the authority to make this choice, but he explained why he thought the people in authority should be making the inquiries.
“We could start thinking about it. The size of the goalposts was determined in 1875. They were probably too big for the anthropometric values of that time. It was probably right back then, but now, seeing some athletes and goalkeepers, one might think,” the Italian legend remarked.
“Goalkeepers have become bigger, that’s true. But outfield players have also become faster, [more] unpredictable, and they hit harder. You can see the effect of the goalkeeper’s height on long shots. Thirty years ago, you would score ten goals for every 50 shots. Today, it’s three. From afar, it’s much more difficult to score with a two-metre goalkeeper,” Gianluigi Buffon added.
Social media users reacted negatively to the keeping legend’s suggestion, with most of them taking it as justification to mock Onana, who has been having trouble in the Man United goal since joining the team in the summer after leaving Inter Milan.
