Top 10 Interesting Facts about Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon in 2014. Photo by Puma on Wikimedia

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon is an Italian professional footballer who captains and plays as a goalkeeper for Parma, a Serie B club. Buffon was born on 28th January 1978 in Carrara, Tuscany. However, he is of Friulian origin from Latisana.

He was born into a sporting family. His mother was known as Maria Stella Masocco and his father was Adriano.

Maria Stella was three times Italian champion in the shot put and discus throw. His father, Adrian was a weightlifter. After retiring from their sporting careers, parents of Buffon became P.E. school teachers.

Buffon has two sisters, Veronica and Guendalina who played volleyball for the Italian national team. He is regarded as the greatest goalkeeper of all time across the world. Buffon is among the few players to have made more than one thousand one hundred professional career appearances.

Buffon has spent his career at three clubs: Juventus, Parma and Paris Saint Germain. He made more than five hundred appearances for Juventus in the two stints he played for them. Buffon has won multiple awards during his football career which also makes him one of the most decorated goalkeepers.

Other than being a goalkeeper, Buffon is also a family person with one wife and two kids. He is also a businessman who has shares in a great business facility.

Below are the top 10 Interesting Facts about Gianluigi Buffon:

1. Buffon was born into a Sporting Family

The family of Gianluigi Buffon was full of sporting personalities. His mother, Stella was three times Italian champions in the shot put and discus throwing.

Adriano, the father of Buffon practised shot put and was a weightlifter too. The two elder sisters of Veronica and Guendalina were professional volleyball players.

His uncle, Dante Masocco was a renowned basketball player who played in Serie A1. Gianluigi Buffon is a relative to Lorenzo Buffon who was a top Serie A goalkeeper.

He had played for Milan, Genoa, Inter, Fiorentina and the Italian National team. Lorenzo Buffon is the second cousin of Gianluigi Buffon’s grandfather.

2. He began his career at a Tender Age in Several Positions

Young Gianluigi Buffon alongside Cannavaro. Photo by Unknown author on Wikimedia

At the age of 13 in 1991, Gianluigi Buffon got several offers from Bologna and Milan but he preferred to join Parma. He joined the Parma youth academy where his career began.

Gianluigi Buffon started his footballing career in several outfield positions. He initially played as a midfielder and in other positions. But he, later on, switched to the goalkeeping role where he thrived well.

3. Buffon was Inspired by Cameroon Goalkeeper to take this Role

As he continued developing his football career, Gianluigi Buffon switched to the goalkeeping role. Parma youth team’s keepers suffered injuries leaving no option.

Due to his height, interest and physical attributes, Gianluigi Buffon was called upon to fill this spot. He thrived in it well and in two weeks, he was made the first-choice goalkeeper.

Buffon was inspired by his idol Thomas N’Kono to change his position and stick to the goalkeeping role. The notable goalkeeping performance of the Cameroonian in the 1990 World Cup in Italy made Buffon got more interested in this role.

4. Gianluigi Buffon kept a Clean Sheet on His Senior Debut against Ballon d’Or Winners

Gianluigi Buffon playing in a pre-season friendly against Singapore in August 2014. Photo by Muhammad Ashiq on Wikimedia

In 1994, Gianluigi Buffon received a call-up to train with the Parma first team. He was later promoted to the senior squad in 1995.

At the age of seventeen years, two hundred and ninety-five days, Gianluigi Buffon made his Serie A debut. His debut came against Serie A champions Milan where he shone well.

He managed to keep a clean sheet as the game ended in a barren draw against the great Milan team. Gianluigi Buffon made remarkable saves against Ballon d’Or winners like Roberto Baggio, George Weah and Marco Simone throughout the game.

5. Buffon was the World’s Most Expensive Goalkeeper and Juventus Expensive Signing

Gianluigi Buffon became a great goalkeeper with his performances while at Parma. He played in the UEFA Championship League, Coppa Italia Cup, Serie A and Euro Cup where he excelled.

This earned interest from top clubs who came after him. Parma decided to sell Gianluigi Buffon to Juventus at a fee of €52 million on 3rd July 2001. He became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper during that time.

After his move to Juventus, he was handed the number 1 jersey and became the starting goalkeeper after Edwin Van der Sar left. The transfer fee of Gianluigi Buffon also made him Juventus’ most expensive purchase ever before the purchase of Higuain in 2016.

6. He was Nominated for Ballon d’Or on Nine Occasions

Gianluigi Buffon was interviewed by Sky Sport during the Spezia-Juventus pre-match played at the Orogel Stadium in Cesena on 1 November 2020. Photo by Prugna on Wikimedia

Gianluigi Buffon is one of the most decorated goalkeepers in the world. The goalkeeper has been playing at the top level for several years. He has won several top cups with both his club and national team.

Gianluigi Buffon has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or award on nine separate occasions in the 21st century. His first nomination was in 2001 when he finished in the 28th position.

The other years he was nominated were 2003 where he finished 9th, 2004 he finished 17th and 19th in 2005. In 2006, Buffon earned his first-ever record in the Ballon d’Or race.

He finished second this year behind Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro who won it. In 2007 and 2008, Buffon finished in the top 20 in this award.

7. Pele Named Him in the List of Top 100 Best Players

Gianluigi Buffon has received major praise from top football legends due to his performances. Legendary Brazilian footballer Pele recognised Gianluigi Buffon as a great player.

Pele named Gianluigi Buffon in the FIFA top 100 world’s greatest living players in 2004. This was a great feat by Gianluigi Buffon who was recognised by the world’s best.

He had earlier on becoming the only goalkeeper to win the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award. This was after reaching the 2003 UEFA Champions League Final.

8. Buffon Holds a Record for Consecutive FIFA World Cup Call Up

Florence, Italy (September 3, 2015). From left to right: Marco Verratti, Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini at the 2015-16 FIGC & PUMA Away kit launch. Photo by PUMA on Wikimedia

Gianluigi Buffon is one of the best decorated Italian goalkeepers in history. He has participated in several competitions throughout his career.

Buffon holds a record for the most consecutive call up to the FIFA World Cup Tournaments. His first call-up was in 1998, then 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. In the 2006 tournament, Buffon won the Golden Glove as the competition’s best goalkeeper.

9. Gianluigi has been in Three Different Relationships

Buffon has not had a perfect personal life as he has been in three different relationships. He married Czech model Alena Seredova in 2011.

The two had two children, Louis Thomas and David Lee. However, the couple separated from his Czech model wife after three years of marriage.

Buffon got romantically linked to Italian sports pundit, journalist and TV host Ilaria D’Amico. The couple welcomed their baby boy on 6th January 2016. Before his first marriage, Gianluigi Buffon was engaged to a sprinter from the Italy national athletics team known as Vincenza Cali.

10. Buffon is Suffering from Spheksophobia

The Italian goalkeeper Buffon. Photo by Roberto Vicario on Wikimedia

Even though Gianluigi Buffon is a great man across the world, he has his fears. He suffers from spheksophobia which he has always made open.

Buffon is allergic to wasp stings which most people across the world are also allergic to. However, this does not stop him from being a great person.

Gianluigi Buffon is a great personality who is a mentor and role model to young people across the world. He will always be praised and given legendary status worldwide.