It is easy to forget that Gianluigi Donnarumma is still a teenager.
The 19-year-old has had a checkered time at AC Milan since making his debut at the age of 16.
He has been hailed as the heir to Gianluigi Buffon for his country, been reduced to tears by the Milan ultras who demanded he leave, and now appears to be back on his way up.
The goalkeeper has played 128 Serie A games for his boyhood club and looks to be improving all the time.
Italy legend Dino Zoff took to Corriere della Sera to praise Donnarumma after his heroics to hold Roma to a 1-1 draw on Sunday, which included a stunning double save.
“It is simple, he has become a man. He is more aware, he is an adult,” Zoff said.
“He is learning how to manage the phases of his life, which are also the phases of the match. Today, I give a mistake, it does not come down anymore.”
Despite being just four seasons into his fledgling career, here is how he has gone from hero, to villain and now hero again.
The rise
Donnarumma was brought into the Milan first team squad at just 15 and went on to make his debut in October 2015, when he was 16.
After a string of good performances he was hailed as Buffon’s heir in the Italy goal.
He ousted ex-Real Madrid man Diego Lopez for the starting spot and has been their number one ever since.
The fall
Donnarumma’s agent, Mino Raiola, claimed the goalkeeper had outgrown Milan and deserved Champions League football.
The goalkeeper signed a bumper €6million a year deal in July 2017, and a separate €1million contract for his brother Antonio, but fans were less than impressed.
Raiola claimed, the following December, that his client signed the deal under ‘psychological pressure’ and the club had reneged on contract agreements.
Fans became unhappy and the Milan ultras made their feelings known.
They unveiled a banner that read: “Psychological violence by giving you €6million a season and signing your parasite brother? It’s time to leave… our patience with you is over.”
Donnarumma was reduced to tears in that match and he was given the nickname ‘Dollar-umma’.
He moved from saviour to traitor in record time at the Italian club.
The rise again
Despite the threats from the ultras, Donnarumma stuck it out at his boyhood club and kept his place in the first team.
His performances in the 2018/19 season have been very good, particularly in the last two months.
The 19-year-old has been named in the WhoScored team of the week three times out of the last four.
Zoff made those comments following his latest outing and Milan president, Paolo Scaroni, has come out this week and ruled out the possibility of selling one of their most prized assets.