Gianlugi Buffon has written an open letter to Francesco Totti to mark the 20th anniversary of the Roma striker's Serie A debut.

The 36-year-old, who has spent his entire career with the Giallorossi, recently became the second highest goalscorer in the history of the Italian top flight.

"Dear Francesco, you have made history in Italian football," Buffon wrote in ANSA. "Twenty years in Serie A, what an achievement... I still have the image of your first goal in my mind, it was a Roma-Foggia tie.

"We're friends, you know how much I care about you. We started together with the Under-15 side, we had some splendid years together in the national team and we continue to meet as opponents in Serie A.

"You not only wrote football history, you are writing its present and its near future."

Buffon and Totti were both part of the Italian team that won the World Cup in 2006, although Totti announced his retirement from international football in 2007.