Back to the Soccer Newsfeed

Europe 'vastly underrated' Italy - Buffon

Italy's legendary No. 1 says he is proud of his team's Euro 2016 performances after being overlooked by many doubters ahead of the tournament start

Gianluigi Buffon says Spain - and the rest of Europe - will rue the day they "vastly underrated" Italy.

The Italians gained some retribution for their 4-0 Euro 2012 final loss to Spain with a 2-0 round-of-16 win over the two-time defending champions on Monday.

Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle scored for Italy as their supreme defensive organisation kept Spain at bay.

Antonio Conte's men had been rated - by both national and global media - as perhaps the worst Italian team at a major international tournament in recent memory, something Buffon says the coach and the rest of the squad had not forgotten.