Gianluigi Buffon will play his 1,000th match when Italy face Albania in a World Cup qualifier today with the veteran seemingly no closer to thinking about retirement.

The Italy and Juventus goalkeeper, 39, who has previously joked he will retire when he is 65, was giving little away about his future plans yesterday.

“As far as I’m concerned, tomorrow (today) will be a great achievement and the only assurance I can give is that there will not be another thousand,” he said with a laugh.

Asked if he might retire after the 2018 World Cup, he added: “I don’t know, now I just have to think about the upcoming games.”

Buffon’s landmark appearance will come in a World Cup qualifier which Italy need to win as the battle at the top of Group G remains fierce.

Italy are level on 10 points with leaders Spain, who will be facing an Israel side one point worse off in third place.

“We have great respect for Albania and that is not just rhetoric,” Buffon added. “In the last two years they have done very well and have played in the European Championship.

“I am glad the smaller teams like Albania have improved. The battles are more beautiful and balanced.”

Italy coach Giampiero Ventura said he was expecting to see a “determined and fierce” Albania side, having seen them pick up wins over Macedonia and Liechtenstein to sit fourth on six points.

“To overcome them we will need a good performance,” he said.

“Albania want to make history. They are determined and fierce.”

Albania are coached by former Torino boss Gianni De Biasi, who has claimed that he almost beat Ventura to the Italy job after Euro 2016.

“The national team would have been the crowning achievement of a career taking in almost all of the provincial teams,” De Biasi said.

“I don’t envy Ventura though. If anything I envy his players, he has a solid defence, (Andrea) Belotti, (Ciro) Immobile and (Lorenzo) Insigne, the many alternatives he has.”