18 July 2016
A history-making season at home, a second consecutive league double, a staggering run of 974 minutes without conceding and a strong hand in Italy’s progress to the UEFA EURO 2016 last eight, it’s been quite the year for Juventus skipper Gianluigi Buffon.
Accordingly, the Bianconeri veteran has been announced today as one of ten candidates for UEFA’s Best Player in Europe award, a prize honouring the efforts of the continent’s stars over the course of the past campaign.
Voted into the final cut from an initial shortlist of 37, which featured fellow Juve stars Giorgio Chiellini and Paul Pogba, Buffon will join Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Pepe, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Antoine Greizmann, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in competing for the title.
A panel of journalists selected from all 55 of UEFA’s member nations, responsible for finalising the ten-man lineup, will select and crown their definitive winner on 25 August on the occasion of the group stage draw for the 2016/17 Champions League campaign in Monaco.
Good luck, Gigi!
