Italian · Carrara · Born 28 January 1978Italy's World Cup-winning goalkeeper and Juventus's towering presence in goal across three decades — widely considered the finest keeper of the modern era.
Gianluigi Buffon was born in Carrara in 1978 and made his Serie A debut for Parma at 17 (1995–2001) before Juventus paid a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper — £33 million — in 2001. He spent two spells at the club (2001–2018, 2019–2021) making 685 appearances and winning 10 Serie A titles and 5 Coppa Italia. A season at PSG (2018–19) and a farewell at Parma (2021–23) extended his career to a remarkable 1,008 professional appearances. He earned 176 Italy caps — a world record at the time — keeping 63 international clean sheets and winning the 2006 World Cup. His 476 career clean sheets is one of the highest totals ever recorded. He was Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year 12 times and named the world's best goalkeeper on multiple occasions. He kept a clean sheet in 974 minutes of World Cup football — a tournament record. He never won the Champions League despite two finalist appearances (2003, 2015). He announced his retirement in 2023 at 45 — one of the longest elite careers in football history.
Most capped player in Italian national team history
How They Played
Traditional goalkeeper with exceptional shot-stopping ability, commanding presence, and leadership qualities
Lasting Impact
Considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, known for longevity and leadership
Career Honours
- Champions League finalist 2003, 2015 (Juventus)
- Serie A 10x
- Coppa Italia 5x
- FIFA World Cup 2006 (Italy)
- UEFA Euro 2012 finalist
- Serie A Goalkeeper of Year 12x
- FIFA World Cup 2006
- UEFA Cup 1999
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parma | 1995–2001 | 220 | 0 | #1 |
| Juventus | 2001–2018 | 656 | 0 | — |
| PSG | 2018–2019 | 25 | 0 | — |
 Italy | — | 176 | — | — |
Italian Athletes