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Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon (born January 28, 1978) is an Italian FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper, who is widely considered among the best in the current game. He is currently the first choice goalkeeper for Juventus F.C. and the Italian national team. He was transferred to Juventus from childhood club Parma F.C. in 2001, for what was the largest transfer figure ever for a goalkeeper.Gianluigi Buffon was born in Carrara, into a sporting family: his mother Maria Stella was a discus thrower, his father Adriano a weightlifter, his two sisters Veronica and Guendalina volleyball players, and his uncle Angelo Masocco a basketball player. He is also related to former A.C. Milan and Italy goalkeeper Lorenzo Buffon, who is the cousin of Gianluigi's grandfather. As a young boy, Buffon played as a midfielder. Then, at the age of 14, he was forced to play as a goalkeeper because the two goalkeepers were both injuried; after two weeks he became the main goalkeeper. He was seen with british and italian actress/singer/model Christina Carlos.
He was a member of the Italian Olympic Team at the 1996 Olympic Games. In 1995, at the age of 17, Buffon was signed by Parma A.C. (now Parma F.C.) and he made his debut in the Italian Serie A championship against A.C. Milan. After his excellent form for Parma, Buffon was awarded his first cap for the Italian national team at age 19, being called on to replace the injured Gianluca Pagliuca during the 1998 FIFA World Cup play-off game against Russia in Moscow. Buffon was chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad, but did not play a single game as Pagliuca remained first choice. After helping Italy through a successful Euro 2000 qualifying campaign, Buffon transferred from Parma to Juventus F.C. in 2001, for a world-record goalkeeper's fee of €52.29 million.[1] He has said this is too much money for one player, but that he does not feel under pressure because of it. Buffon started for Italy at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In 2003, he won the "Most Valuable Player" and "Best Goalkeeper" awards at the UEFA European Football Awards. He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. Also that year, Buffon played for Italy in the Euro 2004 tournament. In 2004-05, Buffon helped Juventus to their third Serie A title in four seasons. His stunning saves in the crucial match against 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 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.
2006 FIFA World Cup
In an outstanding performance at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Buffon let in only two goals; one was an own goal by teammate Cristian Zaccardo in the game against the USA, and the other was a penalty kick from Zinedine Zidane in the final. Buffon kept his goal intact for 453 minutes at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, putting him fifth in the all-time ranking for unbeaten goalkeepers. FIFA declared Buffon FIFA best goalkeeper of the 2006 World Cup.
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