Try that against your father – Buffon’s son scores a hat-trick for Czechia

The surname Buffon has long been tied to legendary nights between the posts, gravity-defying saves, and a goalkeeper who defined an era. But the next Buffon in line is rewriting the family script entirely. At just 17, Louis Thomas Buffon — son of the iconic Gianluigi — is carving out his own footballing identity far from the goal line, announcing himself as a forward whose main language is goals.

And on Tuesday, he spoke it fluently. Wearing the colors of Czechia’s U-19 team, he fired in his first hat-trick at professional level and added an assist in a commanding 6:1 win over Azerbaijan in U-19 Euro qualifying.

Though born in Turin, he doesn’t play for Italy. Thanks to the heritage of his mother, Alena Seredova, he opted to represent the Czech Republic. His rise has been rapid: debut with the U-18s in February, a goal there, then a swift jump to the U-19 setup in September. Until this match, he hadn’t scored for them — and then he erupted with a performance heard across Europe: hat-trick, assist, dominance.

His international horizon is still open, as he remains eligible for Italy’s senior team. On the club side, Louis Thomas began in Juventus’ academy, the same environment where his father became a legend. In 2023 he switched to Pisa and made his professional debut in Serie B last March.

Buffon's son won't represent Italy?!

With Pisa now back in Serie A, he has already tasted top-flight football: 13 minutes against Bologna on Matchday 4, and 22 minutes against Torino in the Coppa Italia.

His first-team involvement is still modest, but his explosion with the Czech U-19s shows his development is heading in the right direction. The instincts, speed, and ruthless finishing he displayed against Azerbaijan mark him as one of Europe’s most intriguing young attacking talents.