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Gianluigi Buffon

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This article is about the Italian goalkeeper. For other uses, see Buffon (disambiguation).
Gianluigi Buffon
File:Gianluigi Buffon juve.jpg
Personal information
Full name Gianluigi Buffon
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Juventus
Number 1
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of May 30, 2008

Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI[1][2], (born January 28, 1978 in Carrara) is an Italian FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper who currently plays for Italian Serie A club Juventus F.C. and the Italian national team. He and Peter Schmeichel share the number-one spot on the IFFHS' list of the world's best goalkeepers of the past twenty years, which was released on January 15, 2008.[3]

Early life and family

Gianluigi Buffon was born into a sporting family. His mother, Maria Stella, was a discus thrower, his father, Adriano, a weightlifter, his two sisters Veronica and Guendalina played volleyball and his uncle, Angelo Masocco, played basketball. He is also a nephew of goalkeeping legend Lorenzo Buffon (a cousin of Gianluigi's grandfather). Buffon is engaged to Czech model Alena Šeredova. Šeredova gave birth to son Louis Thomas on December 28 2007. [4]

Club career

At the age of just 17, Buffon made his Serie A debut for Parma A.C. in a 0-0 home draw against A.C. Milan on November 19, 1995. In his fourth season with the club, he won the UEFA Cup. He transferred from Parma to Juventus F.C. in 2001, for a world-record goalkeeper's fee of €52 million. In 2003, he received the UEFA Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper awards, and was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. During the annual Luigi Berlusconi Trophy match against Milan in August 2005, Buffon collided with Milan midfielder Kaká while chasing a loose ball, and suffered a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. His operation was successful and he returned to the pitch in November, but played only once as another injury returned him to the sidelines until January. He recovered in time to help lead Juventus to their second consecutive Scudetto and his fourth overall with the club.

On May 12, 2006, Buffon, along with former Juventus goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti and many other players, were implicated as participants in illegal betting on Serie A matches while with Parma. The following day, he voluntarily allowed himself to be questioned by Turin magistrates in an attempt to clear his name. While admitting that he did bet on sports (until regulations went into effect in late 2005, banning players from doing so), he vehemently denied placing wagers on Italian football matches. Fears arose that he had jeopardized his chance of playing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but he was officially named Italy's starting goalkeeper on May 15. The players were cleared of all charges by the FIGC on June 27, 2007. [5]

Juventus were relegated to Serie B on July 14, 2006, and deducted thirty points as part of the verdict of the Italian match-fixing scandal; the deduction was later reduced to 17 and then to 9 under appeal, but their last two Scudetti were erased from the record books. Rumors about a transfer for Buffon subsequently spread, and many teams became interested in his services.[6] However, no deals ever materialized as Buffon elected to remain with Juventus; his agent said, "Serie B is a division he has never won and he wants to try to do this." A.C. Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani stated in April 2007 that Buffon's decision to stay proved a catalyst in re-signing incumbent Dida[7], though Buffon later denied having ever been contacted by Milan.[8]

After Juventus won the Cadetti and were promoted back into the top flight, Buffon signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2012.[1]

On September 21, 2007, Football Italia reported that Buffon nearly signed with A.S. Roma in 2001 following his departure from Parma, but team president Franco Sensi instead opted for Atalanta B.C. keeper Ivan Pelizzoli, who averaged less than fifteen appearances in five seasons with Roma. Buffon also claimed that he wouldn't have signed with Roma had he left Juventus in 2006. “That was never a possibility really...I don’t think that Roma had the finances to make an investment of such a nature.”[9]

On 2007/2008 season with Juventus, Buffon was one of the best players of the team, making large number of worldclass saves, leading juventus to the third place in the serie A and to Champions league qualification.

International career

Buffon was awarded his first cap for Italy at the age of nineteen, as an injury replacement for Gianluca Pagliuca during a 1998 FIFA World Cup play-off against Russia. He was called up for the 1998 World Cup finals, but did not play a single game as Pagliuca remained first choice. He was a member of the Italy squad at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. He was also the first choice goalkeeper for Italy at the Euro 2000, but broke his hand in a friendly match against Norway just eight days before the tournament started, and had his starting place taken by Francesco Toldo.

He kept five clean sheets in addition to a 453-minute scoreless streak during the 2006 World Cup finals; the only goals conceded were an own goal from teammate Cristian Zaccardo against the United States, and a Zinedine Zidane penalty in the final against France, which ended 1-1 in extra time and led to a penalty shootout in which neither Buffon nor Fabien Barthez could make a save. The lone miss was David Trezeguet's effort that clanged off the bottom of the crossbar and failed to cross the line, which enabled Italy to emerge victorious. Buffon received the Yashin Award for his accomplishments throughout the competition. Buffon was named Italy captain for Euro 2008 after incumbent Fabio Cannavaro was ruled out of the competition due to injury.

Honours

Clubs

F.C. Parma

  • Runner-up: 2001

Juventus

  • Runner-up: 2005

International

Personal

  • Runner-up: 1997, 1998

References

  1. ^ FIFA.com
  2. ^ AscotSportal.com
  3. ^ Channel4.com
  4. ^ Goal.com - Juventus - Buffon Becomes A Father
  5. ^ "Kalac in the clear". The World Game. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  6. ^ "Liverpool set for raid on Juve". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2006-07-16. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "Galliani reveals transfer secrets". Football Italia. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  8. ^ "Staying At Juve Was The Best Choice, Says Buffon". Goal.com. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  9. ^ "Roma nearly signed Buffon". Football Italia. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Gianluigi Buffon.
Template:S-awards
Preceded by Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year
1999 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year
2001-2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper
2003 – 2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year
2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UEFA Footballer of the Year
2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Yashin Award
2006 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper
2006 & 2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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