The 5 moments that cemented Gianluigi Buffon as the best goalkeeper ever

Helps Juventus earn promotion to Serie A

The 2006 Calciopoli match-fixing and betting scandal plunged Juventus into Serie B and Buffon, in addition to several of his high-profile teammates, opted to stay with the Bianconeri. Despite a nine-point deduction to start the season, Juventus dominated Italy’s second tier.

There had been interest in signing Buffon from AC Milan, Inter Milan and Arsenal that summer leading up to the start of the season. Instead, Buffon made his Serie B debut that season, going on to play in 37 games and helping Juventus finish first and earn promotion back to the top flight. The decision to stay on at the club endeared him to Juve fans even more. As a result, he remains, along with Alessandro Del Piero, one of the most-beloved players to ever wear the club’s colors.

​”When I decided to stay in Serie B, I was glad to do so because I think there are some men, some players, who have the opportunity to give the sport some hope through their decisions, for the public, for the fans,” Buffon said in a recent interview. “It was a time when somebody like me needed to send a message: That players have feelings too and there is more to life than popularity and money. I would do it again.”

Buffon signed a contract extension at the end of that season that put him at the club through to 2012.