| Gianluigi Buffon |
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Buffon started his career with Parma in 1995 . In 2003 , he won the 'Most Valuable Player' and 'Best Goalkeeper' awards at the UEFA European Football Awards. Buffon currently has the world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper after his July 2001 move from Parma to Juventus for £33 million. He was named by Pelé as one of the Top 125 Greatest Living Footballers in March 2004 . After backing up Gianluca Pagliuca at the and missing with an injury, Buffon started for Italy at the and . He was a member of the Italian Olympic Team at the 1996 Olympic Games . In 2004/2005, Buffon helped Juventus to their third Serie A title in four seasons. His stunning saves in the crucial match against AC Milan months earlier virtually won the title for the ''Old Lady''. In the summer of 2005 during the annual match for the Luigi Berlusconi Trophy, Buffon needed surgery for a dislocated shoulder after colliding with AC Milan 's Kaká . His operation was successful and he returned to the pitch in November, but played only once as injury again returned him to the sidelines until January. HISTORY "''Gigi Buffon is in every way an original. His talent very quickly made him the number one of both Parma and Italy, whilst his personality, which is never banal, is characterised by great bravery both in his statements to the press and as he comes out to smother the ball at the feet of onrushing players.''" - Leo Turrini Gianluigi Buffon was born into a sporting family: his mother Maria Stella was a disk-thrower, his father Adriano a weight-lifter, his two sisters Veronica and Guendalina volleyball players and his uncle Angelo Masocco a basketball player. He is also a nephew of former Milan and Italy goalkeeper Lorenzo Buffon . As a young boy growing up in Italy, Buffon played as a midfielder; however his decision to become a goalkeeper was to prove a wise one. In 1996, at the age of 17, Buffon was signed by Parma - coached at the time by current AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti - and made his debut in Italy’s Serie A against, ironically, AC Milan. After his excellent form for Parma, Buffon was awarded his first Italian Football cap at 19, being called on to replace the injured Pagliuca. Buffon was chosen for the squad but did not play a single game as Pagliuca remained first choice. After helping Italy through a successful Euro 2000 qualifying campaign, Gigi missed out on the finals after breaking his hand in one of Italys final pre-tournament games. In 2001 Buffon signed for Juventus for a world-record goalkeeper's fee of £33 million. He has said this is too much money for one player but that he does not feel under pressure because of it. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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