Watch Gigi Buffon make fans stop booing and instead applaud during French national anthem
It's certainly been a week for national anthems to be in the headlines. While we sort through our own anthem controversy in the United States, a different mid-anthem news nugget presented itself; this time at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari, Italy.
Ahead of the Italian national team's friendly against France on Thursday, an audible set of fans made the tactless decision to boo during France's national anthem. The jeers didn't last long, though, as Italy's legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stepped in to class things up.
It's wild how a simple gesture, applauding in Buffon's case, can diffuse a situation. Italy and France's rivalry has some extremely deep roots and boasts some of the most memorable clashes in the sport -- the 2006 World Cup final is the stuff of movies -- but there's certainly a line. Booing an opponent's national anthem serves no purpose other than to be overtly disrespectful.
Luckily, players like Buffon won't be passive bystanders when it comes to trying to do what's right.
MORE FROM FOX SOCCER:
