The Italy signed for Napoli last week.
“I look up, I close my eyes and look back to the beginning, to the day that Silvano Benedetti advised me to leave my old club where all my friends played to try and get into the Toro family,” Buongiorno declared.
‘Never was there a better choice,” he continued. “From that moment, I set off on a 17-year long journey. A path full of emotions, joy, happiness, but also tears and disappointment that have allowed me to grow and shape myself as a man and as a football player.
“If I look back, I feel privileged, and I realise that I had the strength to face every challenge with maximum effort , all with the heart of a boy who was trying to follow his dream. I have been trying to improve every day, to respect everyone as much as possible, and to follow my head.
“On this path, I’ve managed to realise two of my dreams. Playing and wearing the captain’s armband for my city’s team, and reading the names of the fallen at Superga. An honour.
“These two moments will forever be etched in my mind and heart. I will definitely never forget the memories from the games that we played, as well as the love of the people, my teammates and the coaches that I’ve had.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the supporters. I appreciate the support and passion. You took me by the hand and helped me grow. I would like to say thank you to the President, Cairo, to the director, Vagnati, and to the whole club for their support.
“Finally, I would like to say thank you to all the doctors, physiotherapists, in-house staff and all the people who work for Toro, you have all become friends. Now, for me, it’s time to to take another step in the professional game. I’ll always love you, and I hope you’ll still love me too. Turin is my favourite city, and it always will be.”