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Gianluigi Buffon wins the 2016 Golden Foot Hublot Award

Gianluigi Buffon wins the 2016 Golden Foot Hublot Award (PRNewsFoto/HUBLOT)

Brazil and Italy are footballing nations through to their very core and have the highest number of players to have received the Golden Foot Hublot Award. The 2016 edition does not break from this trend. For its 14th outing, the Golden Foot Hublot Award recognises the career of Gianluigi Buffon, which is now sealed in bronze. A homage paid by the public to a player chosen by the fans to receive a prize that crowns the best keeper in history-who is also one of the players who has shown the most loyalty to his club. The Italian Buffon follows on from Samuel Eto’o, the winner in 2015.

The best footballers in the world met in Monaco at the invitation of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, for the presentation of the Golden Foot Hublot Award.

“Today I am honored, proud and emotional to receive this great distinction, the Golden Foot Hublot Award, that I hope I have won on merit. What I am leaving here today, are not the handprints of my ten fingers, but a trace of what I am, of what I have done, and of what I still need to do,” said Gianluigi Buffon.

The nine nominees alongside Buffon for the 2016 edition were: Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Edison Cavani, Iker Casillas, Lionel Messi, Kaka, Thiago Silva, Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard and celebrated from amongst the legends of football were Antonio Caliendo, Deco, Carles Puyol, Frank de Boer and Claudio Ranieri.

The winner of this 14th edition has developed his talents with Juventus, Gianluigi Buffon was already elected best goalkeeper of the 21st Century by the IFFHS, best goalkeeper in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, best footballer in the world by UEFA in 2003 and is one of the most loyal players in history. Receiving an award from the public is the highest prize that all players aspire towards.

(Hublot International Press Release)