Gianluigi Buffon, one of the towering figures in world football, recently revealed his list of top 10 teammates. Having spent over three decades at the top of his game, Buffon has played with the world’s greatest footballers to kick a ball. His selection of “Buffon top 10 teammates” reflects not just their technical prowess but also their influence on him as a teammate and friend.
Buffon Top 10 Teammates
In his emotionally charged interview, he mentioned the names of 10 players who left an indelible mark on his heart. From Juventus legends to world superstars, this list reflects the players who helped shape Buffon’s career into one of the most dramatic tales of football.
- Cristiano Ronaldo
Signing for Juventus in 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo immediately established himself as one of Buffon’s greatest teammates. Buffon couldn’t understand how Ronaldo, with all the pressures being one of the biggest names in football, could keep raising his game season after season. “Ronaldo’s focus is unrivaled. Every day, he’s pushing to break new limits,” said Buffon in reflection after their two title-winning seasons of Serie A together. The goalkeeper also saluted the leadership of Ronaldo, whom he described as “a player who makes everybody better around him.”
- Andrea Pirlo
Pirlo and Buffon formed a formidable partnership at Juventus and with the Italian national team. Over the years, they forged a bond deepened by shared success when Italy won the World Cup in 2006. Talking about Pirlo, Buffon said, “Pirlo could control the pace of the game like a conductor. His vision was beyond anything I’ve ever seen.” Whether under pressure or cruising through a match, Buffon always felt reassured knowing Pirlo was pulling the strings in midfield.
- Lilian Thuram
His friendship with Thuram blossomed during their days in Parma and then Juventus. Buffon called the French defender one of the most intelligent players he had ever worked with. “Thuram was a genius in defense,” Buffon would later recall, admiring his abilities to anticipate the game and cut through opposition attacks.
- Neymar
Buffon’s short time at Paris Saint-Germain saw him share the field with Neymar, whom he described as “a true artist on the field.” What Buffon liked about Neymar was that all it took was just a little bit of imagination and flair to turn a match around. “With Neymar, you never know what he’s going to do next, and that’s what makes him so dangerous,” Buffon said.
- Francesco Totti
Many times, Buffon has spoken about how much Totti understood the game and how technically capable he was. Totti was the heart of Roma, and every time we played against him, I knew we were facing one of the best,” Buffon said. The longevity and one-club loyalty from Totti resonated with Buffon, too, who valued Totti’s commitment to the game and his city.
- Alessandro Del Piero
Del Piero and Buffon’s time together at Juventus defined an era of success for the club. Buffon often referred to Del Piero as “the soul of Juventus.” His partnership with Del Piero culminated in Juventus’ dominance of Serie A and their fight after the club’s relegation to Serie B. Del Piero’s loyalty to the club, even through those difficult times, earned Buffon’s eternal respect. “Del Piero’s leadership and love for Juventus were unmatched,” Buffon once said, reflecting on their years of success and struggle together.
- Kylian Mbappé
Despite the generation gap between the two players, another teammate at PSG, Kylian Mbappé, managed to leave his mark on Buffon. He lauded the French forward’s raw talent and mature approach on the pitch. “Mbappé has this hunger to win that you usually only see in the most seasoned veterans,” Buffon said. In Mbappé, he saw a star of the future, already making waves on the world stage with his pace and finishing ability.
- Antonio Cassano
They shared the Italy jersey, and Buffon admired Cassano’s innate talent. “Cassano was one of the most talented players I ever met, though he didn’t always show it consistently,” Buffon said. With his mercurial character, Cassano was a real drama boy, and Buffon would refer very often to those special moments that they shared within the Italian squad. “When he was on, he was unstoppable. He could change a match in an instant.”
- Zlatan Ibrahimović
The admiration of Buffon for Zlatan Ibrahimović transcended their time at Juventus when he often spoke about the mentality of the Swedish striker for victory and his physical presence. Buffon once said it, “Zlatan is a force of nature. The way he plays, so confident and powerful, seems almost impossible to stop.” The times they shared in Juventus marked the starting point of respect that flowed into their careers worldwide. He hailed Zlatan as capable of dominating any league he finds himself in: “a game-changer wherever he plays.”
- Roberto Baggio
He was young when he shared the same dressing room with Roberto Baggio, but this Italian legend, in so many ways, was stuck in his psyche. Buffon referred to Baggio as “an artist of football,” one able to do things with the ball that nobody else had ever done or could do. Buffon admired Baggio’s humility despite his huge talent. “He had this quiet way about him, but when he had the ball, everyone paid attention,” Buffon said.
Bonds Forged on the Pitch
While thinking of his “Buffon top 10 teammates,” Gianluigi Buffon does not look only at technical skills but talks about relationships forged in years of joint competition, shared victories, and those moments of joy and heartbreak that bind indissolubly.
For Buffon, football is more than a collection of games or a series of trophies; football is about those with whom he traveled the journey. And the list of “Buffon top 10 teammates” reflects that ethos: talent and character valued equally, with every player playing his part in framing one of the most enduring careers in football.
