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Goalkeeper Toldo Retires from Football

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Goalkeeper Francesco Toldo Retires from Football
Inter Milan’s warrior of a goalkeeper Francesco Toldo has officially announced his retirement from football.
"It will be a long holiday this year because I will stop playing," Toldo told Inter's Official website. "This is the first time I have said it officially and I'm quite emotional because it has been my job for 20 years."
Toldo joined Inter in 2001 from Fiorentina. Toldo has been used sparingly at Inter of late, struggling to make the starting 11 since the arrival of Brazil’s Julio Cesar in 2005.
The 38-year old also represented his country during his 20 year career, collecting 28 caps with the Azzurri over his career.
His most notable time with Italy came in Euro 2000 when Toldo replaced an injured Gianluigi Buffon for the tournament. Toldo led his country to the finals and was seconds away from winning the tournament before France equalized laste and won in extra time.
His most memorable performance came in the semifinals. Toldo shut out the Netherlands for 120 minutes in what was one of the greatest performances by any goalkeeper in Italian football history. Toldo only conceded one goal on a total of six penalties against him in that game. He saved the first one in the game, one hit the post, then he led his country to a 3-1 win on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes of play.
Toldo also won the U-21 European championship in 1994.
The goalkeeper was born in Padua, Veneto and began his career with AC Milan although he never played a game for the team and was eventually released in 1993.
He then began playing with Fiorentina and was the club’s starter for eight seasons. He won the Coppa Italia twice and played in one edition of the UEFA Champions League.
In 2001, Toldo transferred to Inter Milan as Fiorentina was facing bankruptcy. Toldo was the starter in goal until 2005 when Julio Cesar replaced him after Toldo elected to sit out the team’s friendly match tour of England.
Toldo briefly regained the starting job in 2006 after Cesar slipped in his play and he signed a contract extension until 2009.
Last year, the goalkeeper signed a two year extension to bring his contract to the end of the 2011 season. In June, there was speculation that Toldo would retire this summer following Inter winning the Treble. The club also signed Luca Castellazzi to be their backup goalkeeper further indicating Toldo’s retirement.
All in all Toldo has been a respected goalkeeper and while he may have lived in the shadow of several other Italian goalkeepers such as Buffon and Luca Bucci, he has been a warrior for any team ha has played on.
He will most likely be remembered for his brilliant performance in Euro 2000 as he had to carry the burden of replacing Buffon in the tournament, which he fulfilled tremendously.  
Toldo has served his nation well and has served Fiorentina and Internazionale well in his career and he is doing the right thing by leaving on a high note. Ending your career with a Triple Crown is probably the best way to go out. There is really nothing more for Toldo to accomplish as Inter is set in goal with Julio Cesar and Toldo has nothing more to prove.
His career will continue in a non-playing role as he will serve as an ambassador for Inter Milan. So now as Toldo says farewell to football, he can look back on his career being proud of what he accomplished and he has left at the best time possible.

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