Gigi Buffon, born 28 January 1978, is an Italian former goalkeeper, widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He is one of the few recorded players to have made over 1100 professional appearances and holds the record for the mosst apps in Serie A (Italy's major league). His football history is far too long to publish...here is a shortened version!
"Watch him close-up in training and during games, he is really impressive. Weaknesses? He has none." Andrea Pirlo.
| Youth career | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–1995 | Parma | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2001 | Parma | 168 | (0) |
| 2001–2018 | Juventus | 509 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Paris Saint-Germain | 17 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Juventus | 17 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Parma | 43 | (0) |
| Total | 754 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993–1994 | Italy U16 | 3 | (0) |
| 1995 | Italy U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Italy U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 1995–1997 | Italy U21 | 11 | (0) |
| 1997 | Italy U23 | 4 | (0) |
| 1997–2018 | Italy | 176 | (0) |
Buffon's made his Seria A debut at Parmain 1995, helping the clib to win the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup and the Suppercoppa Italian, in 1999. After joining Juventus in 2001, for the €52 million at the time a world record for a GK. Buffon won Serie A titles in both of his first two seasons at the club. In his first spell at Juventus enduring 17 years, he won a record nine Serie A titles, four Coppa Italias, and five Supercoppa Italianas. He was the first goalkeeper to win the Serie A Footballer of the Year award, and was named that a record twelve times. After reaching the 2015 and 2017 UEFA Champions' League Finals, Buffon was named to the "Champions League Squad", and won the inaugural The Beat FIFA GK award in the latter year.
Buffon signed with French club Paris Saint-Germain at the age of 40 in 2018, he won the Trohpee de Champions and Ligue 1 title in his only season with the team, before returning to Juventus the following year. During the 2019–20 season, Buffon served primarily as a back-up goalkeeper, but still managed to break Paolo Maldini's record of 647 apps in Serie A, as he won a record tenth top flight title with the club. The following season he continued to serve as a back-up, but started in the Coppa Italia, winning his record sixth title. In June 2021, Buffon returned to his boyhood club Parma, who had been relegated to Serie B for that season, before announcing his retirement from football in 2023 at the age of 45.
With 176 International Caps, Buffon is the most capped goalkeeper of all time, the most capped player in the history of Italian football, and the third-most capped European international player ever. Buffon also holds the record for most apps for Italy as captain after he inherited the armband in 2010. Buffon was called up for a record of five FIFA World Cup tournaments (between 1998-2014) after making his debut in 1997; he was an unused substitute in the 1998 edition. He was the starting goalkeeper of the squad that won the 2006 tournament, being awarded the Golden Glove as the competition's best goalkeeper. He also represented Italy at four European Championships, at the 1996 Olympics, and at two FIFA Confederation Cups,, winning a bronze medal in 2013.
Following his performances during the 2006 World Cup, where he kept a record five clean sheets, Buffon won the Yashin Award (Lev Yashin being the legendry Russian GK) and was elected to the Team of the Tournament an honour he also received from UEFA, after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2008 and the Final of the 2012 ERuropean Championships. Buffon retired from international football in 2017, after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup!!!; although he reversed this decision to play in the team's friendlies the following year, he officially confirmed his international retirement in May 2018.
Buffon was named by Pele in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in 2004. He is the only goalkeeper to win the UEFA Footballer of the Year award, which he achieved after reaching the 2003 Champions league Final; he also won UEFA's award for best goalkeeper that year, and was additionally voted into the UEWFA Team of the Year on five occasions. Buffon was the runner-up for the Ballon D'Or 2006, and was elected part of the FIFPRO11, three times. He was the first ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Foot Award, and was also named the IFFHS World's Best GK, a record five times, alongside Casillas and Neuer. He would go on to be named the best goalkeeper of the 21st century, of the past 25 years and of the decade by the same organisation.
Buffon was born in Carrara Italy, althiough he is fromLatisana. He was born into a sporting family: his mother was three times IOtalian championship in discus and shot put, his uncle Dante Masocco was a basketball player who played in the Serie A1, his father Adriano also practiced shot put, and his elder sisters Guendalina and Veronica were professional volleyball players. He is a relative of Lorenzo Buffon, goalkeeper for Milan, Genoa, Inter, Fiorentina and the Italian national team: Lorenzo is Gianluigi's second cousin twice removed.
In June 2017, he received honorary citizenship from the city of Latisana, in North-east Italy.
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