Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Gianluigi Buffon

 
Wikipedia: Gianluigi Buffon
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Gianluigi Buffon
G Buffon.jpg
Personal information
Full name Gianluigi Buffon
Date of birth 28 January 1978 (1978-01-28) (age 31)
Place of birth Carrara, Italy
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Juventus
Number 1
Youth career
1991–1995 Parma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1995–2001 Parma 168 (0)
2001– Juventus 247 (0)
National team‡
1995–1997 Italy U-21 12 (0)
1997– Italy 99 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 May 2009.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 October 2009

Gianluigi Buffon (born 28 January 1978 in Carrara), is an Italian FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper who plays for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. He is widely considered by fans and experts to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.[1]

Contents

Early life and family

Gianluigi Buffon was born into an athletic 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 lives with Czech model Alena Šeredová, who gave birth to son Louis Thomas on 28 December 2007; they are currently expecting their second child. Buffon and Šeredová are not married yet, the couple stated that they will get married after the birth of their second child.

Club career

Early career

At the young age of just 17, Buffon made his Serie A debut for Parma in a 0-0 home draw against Milan on 19 November 1995. In his fourth season with the club, he won the UEFA Cup. He transferred from Parma to Juventus in 2001, for a world-record goalkeeper's fee of €51.5 million. Buffon nearly signed with Roma in 2001 following his departure from Parma, but team president Franco Sensi instead opted for Atalanta keeper Ivan Pelizzoli, who averaged less than 15 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."[2]

Juventus

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 12 May 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 15 May. The players were cleared of all charges by the FIGC on 27 June 2007.[3]

Following Juventus' punishment in the Calciopoli scandal, rumors spread that Juventus were shopping Buffon on the transfer market as a cost-cutting measure, and many teams became interested in his services.[4] 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." AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani stated in April 2007 that Buffon's decision to stay proved a catalyst in re-signing incumbent Dida,[5] though Buffon later denied having ever been contacted by Milan.

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.[6]

In 2008–09, Buffon was again sidelined by several injuries, having problems with his back but principally a bad groin strain and a pulled muscle.[7] From September-January, Alexander Manninger, Juventus' reserve goalie, held his position between the sticks, and gained a lot of praise for his deputizing.[8] Because of this and Juve's poor form towards the end of the season, as Buffon was seen despondent as the team drew Lecce and Atalanta, there were further rumors that Buffon was upset and wanted to leave.[9] He admitted he was upset but had no intentions to leave. After a discussion with management, he said he was reassured about the future of Juventus and signed a year extension to 2013.

Buffon started out 2009–10 brilliantly, making a string of unbelievable saves against Roma, Lazio, Livorno, Bulgaria, and Georgia leading commentators to sing his praises as once again, the number one goalkeeper in the world.[10][11]

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1995–96 Parma Serie A 9 0 - - 9 0
1996–97 27 0 - 1 0 28 0
1997–98 32 0 6 0 8 0 46 0
1998–99 34 0 6 0 11 0 51 0
1999–00 32 0 0 0 9 0 41 0
2000–01 34 0 2 0 7 0 43 0
2001–02 Juventus Serie A 34 0 1 0 10 0 45 0
2002–03 32 0 0 0 15 0 47 0
2003–04 32 0 0 0 6 0 38 0
2004–05 37 0 0 0 11 0 48 0
2005–06 18 0 2 0 4 0 24 0
2006–07 Serie B 37 0 3 0 - 40 0
2007–08 Serie A 34 0 1 0 - 35 0
2008–09 23 0 2 0 5 0 30 0
2009–10 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total Juventus 248 0 9 0 51 0 308 0
Career Total 416 0 23 0 87 0 526 0

Honours

Parma

Juventus

International

Individual

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "Roma nearly signed Buffon". Football Italia. http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/sep21l.html. Retrieved 2007-12-25. 
  3. ^ "Kalac in the clear". The World Game. http://mastertwg.sbs.com.au/italy/index.php?pid=st&cid=90834. Retrieved 2007-12-25. 
  4. ^ "Liverpool set for raid on Juve". The Sunday Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2093-2272166,00.html. Retrieved 2006-07-16. 
  5. ^ "Galliani reveals transfer secrets". Football Italia. http://www.acmilan-online.com/archive/arc3-2007.php. Retrieved 2007-12-25. 
  6. ^ Buffon pledges future to Juve
  7. ^ [2]
  8. ^ [3]
  9. ^ [4]
  10. ^ [5]
  11. ^ [6]

External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gianluigi Buffon
Search Wikiquote Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Gianluigi Buffon
v • d • e
Juventus F.C. – current squad

1 Buffon · 2 Cáceres · 3 Chiellini · 4 Felipe Melo · 5 Cannavaro · 6 Grosso · 7 Salihamidžić · 8 Marchisio · 9 Iaquinta · 10 Del Piero (c) · 11 Amauri · 12 Chimenti · 13 Manninger · 15 Zebina · 16 Camoranesi · 17 Trézéguet · 18 Poulsen · 19 Molinaro · 20 Giovinco · 21 Grygera · 22 Sissoko · 23 Ariaudo · 28 Diego · 29 De Ceglie · 30 Tiago · 31 Kirev · 33 Legrottaglie · 39 Marrone · 40 Immobile · Manager: Ferrara

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gianluigi Buffon".  Read more