Long-serving Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon has paid tribute to former international teammate Davide Astori following the midfielder's death at the age of 31.

Astori, capped 14 times by the Azzurri since making his debut in 2011, passed away in his hotel room overnight with a "sudden illness".

Buffon is among those mourning the sudden passing of the Fiorentina skipper, who leaves behind a wife and two-year-old daughter.

"You have a young wife and family members who are suffering," he posted on his official Instagram account, accompanied by a picture alongside his one-time teammate and opponent. "Your little girl deserves to know that her father was in all respects a perfect person.

"You were the best expression of an ancient, surpassed world, in which values ​​such as altruism, elegance, education and respect for others, were the masters."

Former Fiorentina manager Roberto Mancini also took to social media to post: "I learned with great pain what happened to Davide Astori. My condolences to the family."

AC Milan legend Clarence Seedorf added: "Life is precious and we need to enjoy every day of it. I send my most sincere condolences to Davide's family and I thank you Davide for having been a great opponent on the pitch and for all you have done for football. Rest In Peace."

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Astori emerged through Milan's youth ranks before joining Cagliari in 2008, spending eight years at the club ahead of a switch to Fiorentina.