30. Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon
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This legendary goalkeeper has been around for a long time now, but even into his 35th year he is still arguably the best goalkeeper in the world.
The Italian famously became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper of all time when he joined Juventus from Parma for £32million in 2001, and he has continued to live up to this incredible price tag and reputation.
Buffon has stuck with Juventus during tough times such as their relegation to Serie B for match-fixing, and is being rewarded with his patience now as the Old Lady have returned to the top of Italian football. He has added two more Serie A titles to his collection with the team’s success in 2012 and 2013 under Antonio Conte, and was one of the players of the tournament for Italy in Euro 2012, despite their defeat to Spain in the final of the competition.
He has been voted Serie A’s goalkeeper of the year an incredible nine times in his career – a record, and it is easy to see why with some of the fantastic reflex saves he is capable of producing. He is currently the captain of both Juventus and Italy and is quite simply a legend of the game, widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of all time.
35 is still young for a goalkeeper, and Buffon looks like he will keep on going for a good few years more. He is still a key player for club and country and will surely help both to more success in the next few years.
Goalkeepers often don’t get the credit they deserve, but we are arguably spoilt at the moment by having such top class shot-stoppers in Buffon, Iker Casillas and Petr Cech all playing at their peak at the same time.