Gianluigi Buffon

Widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers to have ever played the game, Gianluigi ‘Gigi’ Buffon is one of the greatest legends in football.

Born on 28 January 1978, Buffon’s career started off with Parma in 1995, where he made his Serie A debut, and soon earned a reputation as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in Italy. During his time with the club, he won the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup and the Supercoppa Italiana, all in 1999.

In 2001, Buffon was signed by Juventus for a fee of €52 million, making him the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. The Italian won back to back Serie A titles in his first two seasons and established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Following the Calciopoli incident that saw Juve being stripped off of two Scudettis and getting relegated to the second division, Buffon remained with the club and played a key role in the their Serie B title win and promotion back to Serie A in 2007.

Buffon was an integral part of a resurgent Juventus side that won an Italian record of six consecutive league titles between 2011 and 2017; he also inherited the captain’s armband following the departure of Alessandro Del Piero in 2012. In total, he has won a record eight Serie A titles, as well as three Coppa Italia and five Supercoppa Italiana with the Bianconeri.

Buffon has also won the FIFA World Cup with Italy in 2006 and retired from international duty as the highest-ever capped player for the Azzurri. With over 1000 career apperances under his belt, the legendary stopper is understood to be considering retirement at the end of the 2017/18 season.