Player of The Week: Gianluigi Buffon ( April 28th 2nd May 2014)

Gianluigi Buffon 

Gigi ,AKA Superman

  Buffon , aka Gigi Aka Superman declared  the goal keeper of the Century by the IFFHS  (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) has spent the majority  of his playing career in Juventus.The 36 year old is renewed for his cat like reflexes and shot stopping ability. Standing 6ft 3 inches tall Buffon has a the physical presence that intimates the biggest of strikers . 

Buffon began his professional career as midfielder ,in Italian club Parma ,he was later converted into a goal keeper ,after having been inspired by then Cameroon Goal keeper , Thomas N'kolo.  his career as a goal keeper was not so great in the beginning , after having conceded 17 goals in his 27 appearances for the club in his second season as Parma's starting goal keeper. 

things got better for him later on ,winning his  first European trophy, the UEFA Cup, as well as winning the Coppa Italia in his fourth season with Parma.Gigi was crowned  Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year  and  was also awarded the Bravo Award, the trophy given to the best Under 23 player in Europe. Buffon also placed fifth in the IFFHS goalkeeper of the year rankings. he was voted Series A Goalkeeper of the Year for the second time in his career in 2001,and was  also placed third in the IFFHS Goalkeeper of the year awards.he  was sold to Juventus  in that same year for a world-record goalkeeper's transfer fee of 100 billion lire,  with part of the transfer fees paid via the transfer of Jonathan Bachini to Parma. 

He remained extremely loyal to Juventus when the Turin based club was relegated to Serie B as punishment in the clubs involvement in a match fixing scandal that was uncovered by the Italian media in 2005. there were  roumers  about him leaving  Juventus for Manchester United that season, but he proved his loyalty and great character by donning the number 1 shirt for Juventus in the second division of the Italian football.  

 Despite initial concerns that  his chance of playing for Italy in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, were jeopardized  because of the whole fiasco , he was officially named Italy's starting goalkeeper ,and helped the azzuri win their forth World Cup trophy that summer.

Where is he now ? 

Buffon is currently in the final stages of winning the Serie A with Juventus this season. keeping 18 clean sheets in  34 matches , I don’t thinks he will be stopping anytime soon. Buffon will feature for Italy in world cup 2014 tournament ,much to the disappointment of Italy's rivals .

Trophy Haul  

Individual awards  

• Bravo Award: 1999 
• Best European Goalkeeper: 2003 
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2003 
• FIFA 100 
• Yashin Award: 2006 
• 2006 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team 
• Ballon d'Or runner-up: 2006 
• Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2006 
• FIFPro World XI: 2006, 2007 
• IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 
• IFFHS Best goalkeeper of the decade: 2000–2010 
• UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2008, 2012 
• Serie A Team of the Year: 2012 

Club and international  

Parma 

• UEFA Cup: 1998–99 
• Coppa Italia: 1998–99 
• Supercoppa Italiana: 1999 

Juventus 

• Serie A: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2011–12, 2012–13 
• Serie B: 2006–07 
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013 
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2002–03 

Italy 

• FIFA World Cup: 2006 
• UEFA European Football Championship: Silver 2012 
• FIFA Confederations Cup: Bronze 2013 
• UEFA Under-21 European Championship: 1996 
• Mediterranean Games: 1997