Lorenzo Buffon facts for kids
Buffon at Milan
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 December 1929 | ||
| Place of birth | Majano, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.85 m | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1948–1949 | Portogruaro | 34 | (0) |
| 1949–1959 | AC Milan | 277 | (0) |
| 1959–1960 | Genoa | 20 | (0) |
| 1960–1963 | Inter Milan | 79 | (0) |
| 1963–1964 | Fiorentina | 1 | (0) |
| 1964–1965 | Ivrea | 11 | (0) |
| Total | 422 | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1958–1962 | Italy | 15 | (0) |
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Lorenzo Buffon (born December 19, 1929) is a famous Italian former football player. He was a goalkeeper, which means his job was to stop the other team from scoring goals. He played for many top Italian clubs, including AC Milan and Inter Milan.
Lorenzo Buffon played an amazing 277 games for AC Milan. He also played for their big rivals, Inter Milan. During his career, he helped his teams win five Serie A titles, which is Italy's top football league. He also played 15 times for the Italian national team, even representing his country in the 1962 FIFA World Cup.
Many people think Buffon was one of the best goalkeepers of his time. He was even chosen for a special FIFA All-Star team in the 1960s, alongside another legendary goalkeeper, Lev Yashin.
Contents
Playing for Top Italian Clubs
Lorenzo Buffon was born in Majano, Italy. He played for 15 seasons in the Serie A, which is the highest level of football in Italy. He played a total of 365 games in this league.
Starting His Career
Buffon started his football journey with a team called Portogruaro in 1948. The very next year, he moved to one of Italy's biggest clubs, AC Milan.
Success with AC Milan
He made his first Serie A appearance for Milan on January 15, 1950. In that game, he didn't let any goals in, helping his team win 1-0 against Sampdoria. He played 277 games for AC Milan. During his time there, he became very well known. He won four Serie A titles and two Latin Cups.
Buffon also helped Milan reach the final of the 1957–58 European Cup (now known as the UEFA Champions League). They also made it to the semi-finals of the 1955–56 European Cup. In both cases, they were beaten by the strong Spanish team, Real Madrid. Lorenzo Buffon is one of only four goalkeepers in AC Milan's history to have played 300 games for the club.
Moving to Other Teams
After leaving Milan in 1959, Buffon played for Genoa for one season. Then, in 1960, he joined Inter Milan. This was interesting because Inter Milan is AC Milan's biggest rival. With Inter, Buffon won another Serie A title in the 1962–63 season. This was under the famous coach Helenio Herrera.
After three seasons with Inter, he played for Fiorentina for a short time. He then finished his career with Ivrea in 1965. In total, Lorenzo Buffon won five Serie A titles during his amazing career.
Playing for Italy
Lorenzo Buffon also played for the Italian national team 15 times. He made his first international appearance on September 9, 1958, in a friendly game against France.
The 1962 FIFA World Cup
He was chosen to be the captain and starting goalkeeper for Italy in the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. He played in two matches during the tournament. He kept a "clean sheet" (meaning he didn't let in any goals) in a 0-0 draw against West Germany. He also kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Switzerland. This game on June 7, 1962, was his last time playing for Italy. Unfortunately, Italy was knocked out of the tournament in the first round.
How He Played
Lorenzo Buffon was known for being a very athletic and reliable goalkeeper. He was good at positioning himself and catching the ball. He had an efficient style, meaning he could make amazing saves without being overly dramatic. His great shot-stopping skills earned him the nickname Lorenzo il Magnifico, which means "Lorenzo the Magnificent."
He was quite tall and strong. While he was excellent at stopping shots, he wasn't as strong when it came to coming out of his goal to catch crosses. He was generally seen as a world-class goalkeeper.
Life After Football
After he stopped playing professional football, Lorenzo Buffon continued to be involved in the sport. He worked as a youth talent scout for AC Milan, helping to find new young players.
He is also related to another famous Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon. Lorenzo is Gianluigi's grandfather's second cousin. Lorenzo Buffon was also married to a well-known Italian actress and TV personality named Edy Campagnoli.
Awards and Achievements
Lorenzo Buffon won many important titles during his career.
Team Honours
AC Milan
- Serie A: 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1958–59
- Latin Cup: 1951, 1956
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 1962–63
Individual Awards
- FIFA XI: 1963
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo Buffon para niños
