Most Appearances by a Player (Buffon)

Lore & Background

Buffon made his Serie A debut at Parma in 1995, helping Parma win the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup and the Supercoppa Italiana in 1999. After joining Juventus in 2001 for a world record fee for a goalkeeper of €52.9 million, he won Serie A titles in his first two seasons. In his first spell at Juventus spanning 17 years, he won a record nine Serie A titles, four Coppa Italias, and five Supercoppa Italianas. He was the first goalkeeper to win the Serie A Footballer of the Year award, and was named Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year a record twelve times. After reaching the 2015 and 2017 UEFA Champions League finals, he was named to the Champions League Squad of the Season on both occasions, and won the inaugural The Best FIFA Goalkeeper award in 2017. Buffon signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, winning the Trophée des Champions and Ligue 1 title in his only season, before returning to Juventus the following year. During the 2019–20 season, he broke Paolo Maldini's record of 647 appearances in Serie A and won a record tenth top flight title. The following season he won his record sixth Coppa Italia. In June 2021, Buffon returned to Parma, who had been relegated to Serie B, and announced his retirement in 2023 at age 45.

In Their Own Story

The Allianz Stadium lights hummed, painting long shadows across the turf where an aging giant in black and white stood alone. He traced the penalty box with eyes that had seen two decades of Turin winters. A young striker approached, seeking counsel on handling pressure. Buffon smiled, tapping his chest over his heart. 'The noise is deafening,' he whispered, 'but you must be the silence within the storm.' He turned to the goal, a final sentinel standing tall against the inevitable passage of time.

Reader's Guide

Buffon is the most capped goalkeeper of all time (176 caps), the most capped player in Italy national team history, and the fourth-most capped European international player. He holds the record for most appearances for Italy as captain after inheriting the armband in 2010. He was called up for a record five FIFA World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014), starting in the 2006 winning squad and winning the Golden Glove. He also represented Italy at four European Championships, the 1996 Olympics, and two FIFA Confederations Cups, winning a bronze medal in 2013. He kept a record five clean sheets in the 2006 World Cup, winning the Yashin Award. He retired from international football in 2017 after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, briefly reversed the decision for friendlies, and officially retired in May 2018.

Did You Know?

• Buffon is the only goalkeeper to win the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award (2003).
• He was the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2006.
• He was named the best goalkeeper of the 21st century, of the past 25 years, and of the decade by the IFFHS.
• He is the first ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Foot Award.