Unbeatable Buffon bags best goalkeeper award

Berlin, July 10 (UNI) The newly-crowned World Champions Italy have one more reason to celebrate as goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has bagged the coveted Lev Yashin Award for his match-winning saves, which included a goal-bound Zinedine Zidane header in the finals.

The Juventus star has now joined the league of legends such as Belgium's Michel Preud'Homme, French Fabien Barthez and Germany's Oliver Kahn, winners in 1994, 1998 and 2002 respectively, a statement issued by FIFA said.

The keeper conceded just one goal coming into the final that too an own goal by right-back Cristian Zaccardo.

Buffon, who made his Serie A debut at the age of 17, has been in prime form at the World Cup and has proved almost impossible to beat throughout the tournament.

Having come into the tournament after recovering from a career threatening shoulder injury, Buffon showed remarkable reflexes from the very start. He won the duel with Juventus teammate Pavel Nedved in the group match against Czech Republic to keep a clean sheet for his team.

In the Final itself, Buffon overcame an early Zinedine Zidane penalty to put in an exemplary display and tipped over a goalbound Zidane header as he proved himself a worthy contender for the Lev Yashin Award.

UNI

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