Gianluigi Buffon (; born 28 January 1978) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he is one of the few recorded players to have made over 1,100 professional career appearances and holds the record for the most appearances in Serie A.
Buffon made his Serie A debut at Parma in 1995, helping Parma win the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup and the Supercoppa Italiana in 1999. After joining Juventus in 2001, for the world record fee for a goalkeeper of €52.9 million at the time, Buffon won Serie A titles in both his first two seasons at the club. In his first spell at Juventus spanning 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 Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year a record twelve times. After reaching the 2015 and 2017 UEFA Champions League finals, Buffon was named to the Champions League Squad of the Season on both occasions, and won the inaugural The Best FIFA Goalkeeper award in the latter year. Buffon signed with French club Paris Saint-Germain at the age of 40 in 2018, where he was used in a rotational role with Alphonse Areola; he won the Trophée des 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 to Wojciech Szczęsny, but still managed to break Paolo Maldini's record of 647 appearances 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 the Italy national team, and the fourth-most capped European international player ever. Buffon also holds the record for most appearances for Italy as captain after he inherited the armband in 2010. Buffon was called up for a record of five FIFA World Cup tournaments (in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 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 Confederations Cups, winning a bronze medal in the 2013 edition of the tournament. Following his performances during the 2006 World Cup, where he kept a record five clean sheets, Buffon won the Yashin Award 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 European Championship. 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 Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in 2004. He is the only goalkeeper to win the UEFA Club 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 UEFA Team of the Year on five occasions. Buffon was the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2006, and was elected part of the FIFPro World11 three times. He was the first ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Foot Award, and was also named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper a record five times, alongside Iker Casillas and Manuel 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.
Early life
Buffon was born in Carrara, Tuscany. His mother, Maria Stella, was a discus thrower, while his father, Adriano, was a weightlifter of Friulian origin, from Latisana. Buffon's two sisters, Veronica and Guendalina, played volleyball for the Italian national volleyball team, while his maternal uncle, Dante Masocco, was a basketball player in Serie A1, who also represented the national team.
In his youth, Buffon supported a number of clubs, including his hometown club Carrarese, Serie A heavyweight Juventus, and German side Borussia Mönchengladbach. Between the ages of eight and twelve, Buffon turned to supporting Inter Milan due to his admiration for manager Giovanni Trapattoni, along with Italian sides Pescara, Como, Avellino, and Campobasso, before finally settling with Genoa. He was a member of the ultras of Carrarese, specifically the "Commando Ultrà Indian Tips", and has the group's name printed on his goalkeeping gloves.
Buffon played youth football as a midfielder with La Spezia–based amateur club U.S.D. Canaletto Sepor, before returning to Carrara to play for Perticata, then Bonascola. Despite offers from Bologna and Milan, Buffon began his career with the Parma youth system in 1991, as the team's coach was struck by his physical qualities. His idol Thomas N'Kono inspired this change of position due to his goalkeeping for Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup; when both of the Parma youth team's keepers suddenly suffered injuries, Buffon was called upon due to his interest, height and physical attributes. He quickly adapted to this role, and within two weeks he had been promoted to first keeper of the Parma youth team.
1996–2001: making the starting eleven, early success and recognition
In the 1996–97 Serie A season, Buffon was named as the starting goalkeeper for Parma. Buffon acquired his nickname "Superman" during the season when he stopped a penalty by Inter striker Ronaldo. He celebrated the save by revealing a Superman T-shirt underneath his jersey; the nickname was also a reference to Buffon's athleticism, agility and aerial ability.
In his fourth season with the club, Buffon won his first European trophy, the UEFA Cup. He also won the Coppa Italia with Parma that season. Buffon's performances that season earned him his first Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year Award and the Bravo Award. and received his first Ballon d'Or nomination. In the following season, he won his first Supercoppa Italiana title against Serie A champions Milan, and Parma finished fourth in Serie A once again, tied with Inter for the final remaining Champions League spot. Parma lost 3–1 to Inter in the European playoff match. Buffon helped lead Parma to another Coppa Italia final in the 2000–01 season, but were defeated by Fiorentina. Parma also finished the season in fourth place for the third consecutive year, which allowed them to go through to the Champions League play-off round.
For the 2000–01 season, Buffon's initial decision to change from his traditional number 1 shirt to the number 88 shirt was criticised in the press due to its supposed neo-Nazi connotations, Buffon denied any knowledge of the association, stating that 88 represented "four balls", which are symbols of the character and attributes of a person. He stated that they were meant to signify his need for these attributes after his injury prior to Euro 2000, and that they also represented his "rebirth". choosing the squad number 77 instead.
Juventus
2001–2004: initial dominance
On 3 July 2001, Buffon was sold to Juventus for a world-record goalkeeper's transfer fee of 100 billion lire. This transfer fee made Buffon Juventus' most expensive purchase ever; the record broken in 2016 by the acquisition of Gonzalo Higuaín. He was given the number 1 shirt as the starting goalkeeper, replacing Edwin van der Sar. Although negotiations were ongoing with Barcelona, he chose Juventus because his father convinced him he would be likely to achieve his ambition of winning the Scudetto.
In his first season with Juventus, Buffon appeared in 45 official matches, helping his team to the Serie A title. Juventus was the team with the least goals conceded, with 22 goals in 34 Serie A matches. Juventus also finished as runners-up in the Coppa Italia to Parma; Buffon only made one appearance in the competition. Buffon was awarded his third Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year Award was nominated for the UEFA Team of the Year, losing to Rüştü Reçber.
At the beginning of the 2002–03 season, Juventus won the 2002 Supercoppa Italiana against Parma. Buffon had a dominant year, totalling 47 appearances in all competitions, of which 32 were in Serie A. He helped Juventus to the UEFA Champions League final, but lost in a penalty shoot-out to Milan. which he later described as the most difficult save of his career in his 2008 autobiography. Juventus obtained their second consecutive Serie A, finishing with the least goals conceded with only 23 goals in 32 appearances. He also became the only goalkeeper ever to win the now defunct UEFA Most Valuable Player or UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award. He won the UEFA Best Goalkeeper award, and was elected to the UEFA Team of the Year and named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper. Buffon was also nominated for the 2003 Ballon d'Or that season, finishing in ninth place.
In the 2003–04 season, Juventus were eliminated in the round of 16 of the Champions League and finished the Serie A season in third place, and also reached the Coppa Italia final. Buffon made his 100th appearance for Juventus that season on 30 September 2003 in a 2–1 away win over Olympiacos. He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. Buffon received his first FIFA World Player of the Year nomination in 2004, finishing in 21st place.
2004–2006: Calciopoli and relegation
In August 2005, Buffon collided with Milan midfielder Kaká during the annual preseason Trofeo Luigi Berlusconi match, suffering a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. He returned to the Juventus starting line-up in November, but another injury sidelined him again. He returned to the starting line-up in January 2006, helping Juventus win their second consecutive Scudetto. Juventus were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia. Buffon was named IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper for the third time
On 12 May 2006, several players, including Buffon, were accused of participating in illegal betting on Serie A matches, which initially put his place in Italy's 2006 World Cup squad at risk. In the 2006 World Cup he was Italy's starting goalkeeper and helped the country win their fourth title. He was cleared of all charges in December 2006. After the Calciopoli scandal, in which Juventus were relegated to Serie B, Buffon elected to remain with Juventus.
2006–2011: Serie B champions, Serie A return and injuries
During the 2006–07 Serie B season, Buffon made 37 appearances. In 2007, Buffon was also elected as the goalkeeper for the 2007 FIFPro XI for the second consecutive year, and the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper for a fourth time. and was named Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for the seventh time in his career. During this season, Buffon began to suffer problems with his back, caused by a herniated disc, which kept him sidelined during the next few seasons. Buffon had recurring injuries during the 2009–10 season as well, and Juventus suffered a dip in form. In 2010, Buffon was voted goalkeeper of the decade by IFFHS. Buffon did not play for the first half of the 2010–11 season as he was recovering from surgery after an injury he endured to his sciatic nerve during the 2010 World Cup. the first time since the 1990–91 season.
2011–2014: new era of dominance in Serie A
During the 2011–12 season Buffon kept his 15th clean sheet of the season in Juventus's victory over rivals Inter in the Derby d'Italia. Juventus finished the season unbeaten, Buffon obtained a league record of 21 clean sheets in Serie A, and only conceded a personal best of 16 goals from 35 appearances (an average of 0.46 goals per game). Buffon made 81 saves in Serie A that season and his 82 percent save percentage was the highest of any goalkeeper playing in one of Europe's five major leagues. Buffon was included in the 2011–12 Serie A Team of the Year for his performances.
On 25 February 2012, Juventus faced rivals Milan, with whom they were competing for the 2011–12 Serie A title. With Milan leading 1–0 at home, Sulley Muntari appeared to have doubled Milan's lead with a header from a cross by Urby Emanuelson; however the goal was not given by referee Paolo Tagliavento despite the ball crossing the line while being parried by Buffon. The match ended 1–1. Following the match, when asked about the incident, Buffon was criticised in the press for his response, stating: "The situation was so convoluted that I really didn't realise [if the ball had crossed the goal-line]. But even if I had realised that the ball was in the goal, I'm being honest in saying that I wouldn't have helped out the referee. I'm saying this in a very calm and impassive manner. But I'm confirming: on the pitch I didn't realise whether it was a goal or not. Juventus went on to win the league title that season.
upright=0.9|thumb|Buffon (top right) with [[Juventus FC|Juventus in 2013]]
On 11 August 2012, Buffon lifted his first trophy as the new Juventus captain, following Alessandro Del Piero's departure as Juventus defeated Napoli 4–2 in the 2012 Supercoppa Italiana. Buffon suffered a minor injury and missed the first Serie A match of the 2012–13 season. He returned to the starting line-up on 2 September as team captain. He was nominated for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or and the 2012 UEFA Team of the Year for his performances throughout the calendar year. He obtained his first Champions League clean sheet on 7 November against Nordsjælland and kept clean sheets against Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk, the latter of which was on Buffon's 100th club appearance in European competitions. Buffon kept a clean sheet in a Coppa Italia win against Cagliari on 12 December. Buffon was voted second in the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award, behind Iker Casillas, and named goalkeeper of the century by the same organisation.
On 23 January 2013, Buffon signed a contract extension with Juventus, keeping him at the club until 2015. On 27 January 2013, Buffon was awarded the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year award for the eighth time in his career. Juventus retained their Serie A title that season, and finished the league with the least goals conceded, with just 19 goals. On 24 November, Buffon made his 500th appearance in Serie A, keeping a clean sheet against Livorno. Buffon conceded a goal against Atalanta, setting a personal best of 745 minutes without goal concession in Serie A and equalling Luca Marchegiani's sixth-best unbeaten streak in Serie A history. Buffon was nominated for the 2013 FIFPro XI and the 2013 Ballon d'Or for his performances throughout the calendar year.
In 2013, Buffon was named the second best goalkeeper in the world by IFFHS, behind Manuel Neuer. He earned the Juventus player of the month award for December 2013. On 16 March 2014, Buffon saved the 20th penalty of his career in a 1–0 away win over Genoa, equalling Dino Zoff's 476 appearances for Juventus as the club's fifth all-time appearance holder. Buffon lifted the Serie A title for the third consecutive year, captaining the team to their 30th league title. Juventus finished the 2013–14 season with the least goals conceded in the league, and Buffon managed 89 saves and 18 clean sheets in 33 appearances, conceding 19 goals. Buffon was chosen for the 2013–14 Europa League Team of the Season for his performances throughout the tournament. On 1 July 2014, Buffon signed a contract extension that would keep him at the club until 2017.