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Gianluigi Buffon

Age: 24 Position: Goalkeeper Club: Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon joined Juve from Parma for $US37 million last summer, smashing the previous world record for a goalkeeper.

After a couple of early blunders he has settled in well at Juve and has been a key member of the Juve team that has just won the Scudetto.

When Giovanni Trapattoni became Italy coach he immediately reinstated Buffon as number one although many expected him to persist with Francesco Toldo who had produced some brilliant displays in Euro 2000 in the absence of Buffon, forced to withdraw through injury before that tournament.

Has the knack of making the wrong headlines. Was involved in a motorway fracas with police last year, was in hot water for presenting bogus academic qualifications for an evening course and angered some by choosing the number 88 for his Parma jersey, a number associated with the extreme right.

Has a charitable side and is renowned for his frequent visits to sick children - with former Parma colleague Lilian Thuram he led a Juventus delegation to visit a children's cancer ward the day after the Scudetto had been won.