Gianluigi Buffon and Gianluigi Donnarumma are two of the best goalkeepers in the history of football, giving the Italian side a definitive edge.
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There is something about Italian football that produces goalkeepers who can keep the opposition goalless. It is like they are a wall that is built just to keep out goals. Italy’s style of football is defensive and attritional. They rely heavily on defence, a little bit of surprise attack and brilliant goalkeeping. When all these three come together, Italy are a force to reckon with in world football. In the last couple of decades, Italy has been served by two of the best goalkeepers in the business.
Gianluigi Buffon and Gianluigi Donnarumma have been fantastic for Italy in World Cups and the Euro 2020. Buffon was the original master while Donnarumma was the apprentice. If one looks at the records of both Buffon and Donnarumma, it makes for some sensational reading.
Buffon holds the record for the longest streak without conceding a goal in Serie A history. He achieved it over twelve league matches. Buffon kept the opposition out for 974 consecutive minutes during the 2015–16 season, achieving the most consecutive clean sheets (10) during that run. Buffon also holds the record for most clean sheets and most appearances in both Serie A and with the Italian national team.
Donnarumma, on the other hand, was the ultimate sensation for Italy heading into the team’s unbeaten 34-run streak till Euro 2020. Donnarumma has not conceded more than two goals in his international career of 28 matches. In Euro 2020, he nearly kept a clean sheet. During the penalty shoot-out, it was Donnarumma who helped Italy break their 53-year streak of not winning the Euro.
In an atmosphere, which was partisan and emotional, Donnarumma was the only player who was calm. It summed up his brilliance. It is natural, considering the way Buffon has moulded a generation of goalkeepers.
When an opponent is unable to get past the goalkeepers, it results in desperation. Mistakes are made. Whenever Buffon and Donnarumma come out, the opponents are already deflated with the knowledge that it will be impossible to get past both of them. In addition to a layer of defence which the Italian team has built, goal-scoring against them is very difficult. The streaks of not conceding a goal accumulated by both are a testament to their skills and greatness.
Buffon had seven consecutive clean sheets in the 2013 season. This was his ninth of the season. Buffon bettered his previous personal record of 568 minutes without conceding a goal in Serie A. But, in 2015, he went one better. Buffon went 974 minutes without conceding a goal. Almost close to 1000 minutes, 11 matches nearly! It takes a freakish amount of genius to do that.
It is not without a reason that Buffon won the golden foot award for the first time and was one of the Ballon D’Or contenders. That makes Buffon revolutionary.
However, the base laid out by Buffon has now been expanded upon by Donnarumma. Italy is now in even safer hands due to Donnarumma. His exploits in the lead-up to Euro 2020 in which Italy went unbeaten, spoke volumes. He had eight clean sheets and in the tournament, he was at his best. Against Spain and England, he was at his brilliant best in the penalty shootout. If Italy managed to break the jinx, it was because of the brilliance of the youngest keeper to have ever played for Italy.
It is rare for goalkeepers to be awarded big awards in major football tournaments. But, Buffon and Donnarumma have done it in grand style. In AC Milan, Donnarumma made 251 appearances for the club in all competitions. He had 88 clean sheets and played a key role in helping the club finish second in Serie A.
Buffon and Donnarumma have had brilliant careers so far. Donnarumma is the apprentice to the mastery of Buffon. It makes sense to honour two of Italy’s greatest goalkeepers in this era.
