Biography
Who is Gianluigi Buffon?
Early life and family
Gianluigi Buffon was born in Carrara, Italy. His father, Adriano Buffon, was a weightlifter while his mother, Maria Stella Masocco, competed as a discus thrower. Both parents later worked as teachers for physical education.
He grew up in an athletic household. His two sisters, Veronica and Guendalina, played volleyball for the Italian national team. His maternal uncle, Dante Masocco, was a professional basketball player in Serie A1.
Rise to professional football
The goalkeeper began his youth career with the Parma youth system in 1991. Before specializing in his current role, he played several different outfield positions including midfielder. He eventually switched to goalkeeping after being inspired by Thomas N'Kono.
Gianluigi Buffon made his Serie A debut for Parma in 1995 at the age of 17. During his early years with the club, he helped the team secure the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup, and the Supercoppa Italiana in 1999.
Career highlights and achievements
After joining Juventus in 2001 for a record fee of 52.9 million euros, he won Serie A titles in his first two seasons. During his long tenure at Juventus, he secured nine Serie A championships and six Coppa Italia trophies. He also broke the record for the most appearances in Serie A history.
In 2018, he moved to the French club Paris Saint-Germain at age 40. He won the Ligue 1 title and the Trophée des Champions during his single season there before returning to Juventus. He eventually moved to his boyhood club, Parma, in 2021 before retiring in 2023.
International career and honors
Representing the Italy men's national association football team, he earned 176 international caps. He was a member of the squad that won the 2006 tournament, where he earned the Golden Glove award. He also participated in five FIFA World Cup tournaments between 1998 and 2014.
Gianluigi Buffon received numerous individual honors throughout his career. These include the Adidas Golden Ball, the Bravo Award, and being named the best European goalkeeper. He was also recognized as the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper five times.
Birthday and age
Gianluigi Buffon was born on January 28, 1978, which makes Gianluigi 48 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Gianluigi shares the date with 32 other famous people.
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