Gianluigi Buffon Biography
– Preview - For World Cup keeper
Gianluigi Buffon, there's little that could still impress him in the
game he's been involved in for what seems like an eternity. Deemed by
many as the most complete soccer goalkeeper of our times, a Buffon
biography was inevitable on my site, despite the fact that it's a lot
harder for a goalkeeper to reach the same levels of fame
as a field player.
Gianluigi Buffon Biography
– Abilities - Usually, it's said
that a tall goalkeeper will have softer reflexes, although making up
for them through sheer size, whereas a shorter goalkeeper will be more
agile. If there was ever an exception to strengthen the rule, Gianluigi
Buffon owns copyright for it.
Being a tall goalkeeper (6 feet 4 inches), Gigi, as he is called by his
teammates, has the hands of a pickpocket and the agility of a gymnast.
His lighting fast reflex saves as well as his gravity-defying jumps for
the ball earned him the heart of millions across the World.
What truly makes Buffon stand out of the crowd (as there are other
soccer keepers with good stature and fast reflexes) is his ability to
give confidence to his teammates. Although mistakes are inevitable for
a soccer keeper, Buffon reduces that error chance to a minimum, being,
for my opinion, the most reliable keeper of today.
Gianluigi Buffon Biography
– Parma - Born in a family of
athletes, with his mother being a discus thrower,
his father a weight lifter and his two sisters volleyball players,
Gianluigi Buffon took up on soccer, soon getting his first professional
contract at age 17, from Parma FC.
Being sent straight into the hells of Serie A, one of the
hardest
leagues to play in if you're a goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon proved to
have a strong mind and a strong body and quickly earned a pinned down
first squad position.
In just 3 years after he signed for Parma, Buffon was awarded his first
cap for the Italian national team, in a FIFA World Cup match against
Russia (he replaced Gianluca Pagliuca who was injured).
Gianluigi Buffon Biography
– Juventus Torino -
Although playing well for Parma, his place in the national team wasn't
certain and he had no real trophy winning perspectives by playing for
the mid-table club. Fortunately for him, big guys Juventus Torino
always had a good taste for world class soccer goalkeepers and took out
of their pockets what was at the time (2001), the biggest transfer fee
for a goalkeeper, namely 32 million euros.
Juventus is more than a soccer club, it's a warranty of quality for the
players the team employs. It was the case for Gianluigi Buffon, who
kept on having great performances for the new club but at the same
time, he also won the battle with Toldo for the place in Italy's goal.
Since then, he has been a constant option for his national team and his
club and showed what Juventus fans appreciated as honor and loyalty
when he didn't leave the club after the Calciopoli scandal in 2006,
when his team was relegated to the second division.
Gianluigi Buffon –
Career Highlights - Starting with 1998,
Gianluigi Buffon became a World Cup goalkeeper and has since played in
two more World Cups, winning the one in 2006. Despite the World Cup
title being his most valued trophy up to date, he has also won the
"Best Goalkeeper" and "Most Valuable Player" awards in 2003, at the
UEFA European Football Awards.
He was also nominated on Pele's "125
greatest soccer players of all times" list, which was a
huge honor and an "award" with a good amount of sentimental value.
After all, it's not everyday your name gets nominated on the same list
as Alfredo DiStefano, Maradona, David Beckham, Cruyff or Platini.
players,
Gianluigi Buffon took up on soccer, soon getting his first professional
contract at age 17, from Parma FC. 