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

Leads Italy to a fourth World Cup title in 2006

Buffon has won many titles, but none stand out as much as when he helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup title.

Buffon, at risk of missing the tournament due to the Calciopoli scandal, made Lippi, his teammates and a nation proud by putting together a series of great games and saves to help the Italians reach the final against France.

Buffon had come up big during the final played in Berlin. Buffon’s fingertip save on a Zinedine Zidane header that put the ball over the bar may very well be the biggest of his career. When asked about that save, Zidane noted: “The speed and power of the header meant there was no other way to save it. I did well more than anything else to do it in a World Cup final, as if we had conceded that one, we might not have been able to come back into the game.”

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The game, which ended 1-1 after extra time, went to penalties. In the shootout, Buffon’s Juventus teammate David Trezeguet blasted a shot that slammed against the crossbar. That mistake would help Italy raise the World Cup for the fourth time in their history and cement Buffon’s legacy as one of the best goalkeepers in history.