Position: Goalkeeper
Born: 28.01.78
Club: Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon become the world's most expensive goalkeeper when Juventus paid Parma in excess of £30million for his signature in the summer of 2001.

After a nervous start at the Stadio Delle Alpi, the goalkeeper enhanced his reputation with season after season of sterling work between the sticks.

In that time he has been a virtual ever-present in three Scudetto-winning seasons for Juventus with his agility and perception frustrating many a striker.

At Parma, where he won the UEFA Cup, his bravery and natural sense of positioning were enough to secure him the No 1 shirt for Italy.

Despite faultless displays in qualifying Buffon missed Euro 2000, where Italy reached the final, with a broken thumb keeping him out of the tournament.

The 28-year-old appeared in each of Italy's games in the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 and was one of the least culpable players in these flawed campaigns.

Buffon's build-up to this World Cup has been blighted by a shoulder injury in pre-season requiring surgery and keeping him out until the winter break.

His comeback has been further hampered by a toe injury but should he be fit, Italy will possess one of the finest goalkeepers at the World Cup.

• 16 Mauro Camoranesi
• 5 Fabio Cannavaro
• 7 Alessandro del Piero
• 4 Daniele de Rossi
• Morgan de Sanctis
• 8 Gennaro Gattuso
• 11 Alberto Gilardino
• 15 Vincenzo Iaquinta
• 23 Marco Materazzi
• 13 Alessandro Nesta