Gianluigi Buffon is only a mid-fielder.
The team captain of an association football team , sometimes known as the skipper , is a team member chosen to be the on-pitch leader of the team : it is often one of the older or more experienced members of the squad , or a player that can heavily influence a game . Gianluigi `` Gigi '' Buffon ( [ ˈdʒiːdʒi bufˈfɔn ] , Ufficiale OMRI ; born 28 January 1978 ) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper . He is widely regarded by players , pundits and managers to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time , and , by some , to be the greatest ever .