Football: Juventus goalie calls for 'responsible, clean' politicians

Rome, 15 Nov. (AKI) - Gigi Buffon, the Juventus goalie and captain of Italy's national soccer squad, exchanged his jersey for a jacket and tie Tuesday when he met the Italian president and called for politicians capable of guiding his country out of financial and political turbulence.

Buffon and his other team members met Italian president Giorgio Napolitano in Rome ahead of a Tuesday friendly match against Uruguay as part of Italy's year-long commemoration of its 150th anniversary of national unification.

"We are a population and a nation that is still young and sometimes this makes us stumble," Buffon said at Rome's Renaissance Quirinale Palace, the presidential residence and offices. "We all expect action to put us back on track after very much difficulty."

Buffon was speaking days after Napolitano named former European Union commissioner Mario Monti to form an emergency government that will usher in the reforms designed to boost the economy passed over the weekend.

Buffon told Napolitano that Italy needs a responsible political class responsive to the needs of its people.

"This population needs the support of a political class that unites, and is responsible and cultured. A political class...that is capable and clean," Buffon said.

Silvio Berlusconi handed in his resignation Saturday after Parliament approved austerity measures requested by the European Union that aim to boost the eurozone's third biggest economy and reduce its debt.