FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Gianluigi Buffon was born into a sporting family as his mother, Maria Stella Masocco, was the Italian shot put and discus champion.
Therefore, it comes as little surprise that the goalkeeper made his Serie A debut at the age of 17 years and nine months. The match against AC Milan, played on 19 November 1995, finished 0-0 with the latest addition to the Parma team giving every indication of an extremely bright future. Buffon was immediately touted as a worthy successor to a long tradition of outstanding Italian goalkeepers, including the likes of Giampiero Combi, Aldo Olivieri and Dino Zoff.

As a small boy, ‘Gigi’ idolised the Cameroon goalkeeper, Thomas N’Kono, who played for the ‘Indomitable Lions’ at the 1982 FIFA World Cup™ in Spain, as well as Italia 90. Gigi’s passion for the African team was such that he burst into tears when they were eliminated by England in the quarter-finals of the 1990 tournament.

Buffon was first-choice goalkeeper at Parma for six seasons before his world-record transfer to Juventus in 2001. It was with the Turin giants that he won his first Serie A title, a habit he has become used to and which appears destined to continue in the future.

Spot-kick save
His career with Italy has not been quite as successful, despite enjoying significant personal satisfaction. He saved a penalty in the second-round match that the Azzurri eventually lost to Korea Republic at the FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan 2002. This was no mean feat given the partisan crowd’s white-hot support for their opponents and co-hosts.

Buffon made his debut for Italy away to Russia in October 1997. He was a reserve goalkeeper in the Azzurri squad at France 98 and injury forced him to miss UEFA EURO 2000. However, he was back for EURO 2004 in Portugal, somewhat unfortunately some might say, given Italy’s ignominious first-round exit.

He appears to have left his injury problems behind him and made a full recovery from the dislocated shoulder he suffered in August 2005 while playing for Juventus. As Germany 2006 approaches, Buffon is in excellent form for Juventus. This augurs well for Italy as they attempt to win their fourth FIFA World Cup. Tall and slender, Buffon has the ideal physique for a goalkeeper, and has no obvious weaknesses. He is a brilliant shot-stopper, particularly from close range, and a cool customer in one-on-one situations. He produces spectacular saves as effortlessly as he performs the more mundane tasks required of a world-class number one. A further vital quality is his ability to put his mistakes behind him almost the instant in which he makes them.

On a personal note, he may have some saves to make on the domestic front during the build-up and aftermath to Italy’s group game with the Czech Republic at Germany 2006. His fiancée, the model Alena Seredova, is Czech.

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Every successful side needs a top goalkeeper and nowhere is that better understood than in Italy. For too long, though, the No1 position had been undervalued - until, that is, the world-record transfer of Gianluigi Buffon from Parma AC to Juventus FC in July 2001.

National team
A member of Italy's UEFA European Under-21 Championship-winning team of 1996, he made his senior debut against Russia in 1997 and was an unused squad member at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. After missing out on UEFA EURO 2000™ through injury, he was first choice for the Azzurri's 2002 campaign in Korea/Japan. Buffon played every minute of Italy's eight qualifiers for UEFA EURO 2004™ and only conceded four goals, although Italy did not progress beyond the group stage in Portugal. Remains the undisputed No1.

Club
He made his Parma debut in 1995 at the age of 17, and went on to make 168 appearances for the club. The 1998/99 season was a memorable one as Parma won the Coppa Italia, Italian Super Cup and the UEFA Cup with a 3-0 final victory against Olympique de Marseille. Then played every game of the 2000/01 season prior to leaving the Stadio Ennio Tardini for Turin.

2001: Juve paid €52.29m for Buffon, who helped the club to yet another title in his first season, being ever-present and conceding 23 goals in 34 league games. They won the Scudetto again in 2003 and reached the UEFA Champions League final, only to lose to AC Milan. The following season was trophyless, however, Juve losing in the final of the Coppa Italia, although Buffon did sign a contract extension until 2009 in July 2004.

2004/05: Buffon missed only one game in Serie A as Juventus won their 28th Scudetto, although their Champions League campaign came to a halt in the last eight against eventual winners Liverpool FC. He missed the start of the following season after being ruled out in mid-August for two months with a shoulder injury.

Did you know?
In 2003, Buffon became the first goalkeeper to win the Most Valuable Player award at the UEFA European Football Awards.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

Every successful side needs a top goalkeeper and nowhere is that better understood than in Italy. For too long, though, the No1 position had been undervalued - until, that is, the world-record transfer of Gianluigi Buffon from Parma AC to Juventus FC in July 2001.

National team
A member of Italy's UEFA European Under-21 Championship-winning team of 1996, he made his debut against Russia in 1997 and was picked for the 1998 FIFA World Cup but did not play. After missing out on UEFA EURO 2000™ through injury, however, he was confirmed as first choice for the Azzurri's 2002 campaign in Korea/Japan, where he played in all four matches.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Buffon played every minute of Italy's eight qualifiers and only conceded four goals, keeping five clean sheets along the way. His form ensured that understudies Francesco Toldo and Christian Abbiati never left the bench.

Club
Buffon made his Parma debut at the age of 17 in 1995, and went on to make 168 appearances for the club. The 1998/99 season was a memorable one for both Buffon and Parma as they won the Coppa Italia, Italian Super Cup and the UEFA Cup with a 3-0 final victory against Olympique de Marseille. He played every game of the 2000/01 season for Parma prior to leaving the Ennio Tardini stadium for Turin.

2001: The asking price of €52.29m might have scared off FC Barcelona, but not Juve who had found their replacement for Edwin van der Sar. A year on and they were champions again, with the ever-present Buffon conceding 23 goals in 34 league games - the fewest in the division. 2002/03 was another outstanding season for Buffon as Juve won the Scudetto with the meanest defence in the division. Buffon played 15 times in the UEFA Champions League run and excelled in the final, but couldn't avoid defeat to AC Milan.

2003/04: Like the previous season, Buffon played 32 times in Serie A. However, the club missed out on the title and also lost the Italian Cup final.

Did you know?
Buffon's father was a shot-putter and his mother threw the discus.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

Since joining Juventus for £33m in 2001 to become the world's most expensive goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon has persuaded many observers he is also the world's best.

Buffon made his Serie A debut for Parma against AC Milan as a 17-year-old and quickly became a regular for the Gialloblu.

He made his international bow as a first-half substitute for the injured Gianluca Pagliuca in Italy's 1998 World Cup play-off with Russia.

Buffon missed Euro 2000 through injury but usurped Inter rival Francesco Toldo to keep goal at the 2002 World Cup.

He has a great record of saving penalties, parrying two spot-kicks in Juventus' Champions League final shoot-out defeat to AC Milan in 2003.

The 26-year-old will be hoping to make up for the disappointment of a trophyless season with Juve.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.