Sportskeeda Football Awards 2016: 10 best footballers of the year 2016 - Part 1 - #10 to #6

#9 Gianluigi Buffon

He ages more gracefully than the best of wines

The Italian veteran seems to be getting better as he ages – just like the rarest and most expensive wines. Buffon just does not age and is easily among the 3 best goalkeepers in the world currently but the one who had the best 2016.

Buffon is lucky enough to have a backline of BBC (Bonucci, Barzagli and Chiellini) protect him from the wrath of the opponents and anyone would expect a goalkeeper with that back-three to protect him to have one of the meanest records in world football.

However, what sets the World Cup winner apart is that – despite having BBC guarding him – he has still managed to make 3.54 saves per goal conceded – the best in the entire world in 2016. Add to that the, rather astonishing, fact that he has conceded less goals in 2016 than he has clean sheets.

Buffon is unbeatable at times and that played a key part in Juventus’ fifth consecutive Serie A title win.