Italy

Only Gianluigi Buffon Is Worthy Of Being Italy's Number One - Ricky Albertosi

The former Azzurri stopper is not impressed with the current crop of goalkeepers...

Oct 31, 2009 3:58:35 PM

Gianluigi Buffon, Italy, Scotland-Italy (Foto Grazia Neri)

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Gianluigi Buffon, Italy, Scotland-Italy (Foto Grazia Neri)

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Legendary Italian 'keeper Ricky Albertosi has praised Juventus' Gianluigi Buffon, but believes that Italy are currently lacking anyone worthy of taking Buffon's place in the national team.

"There is only Gigi Buffon," the 69-year-old is quoted as saying by 24oredisport.com.

"Buffon is like I was - made his debut young, brash, heedless of danger, daring, technically and stylistically unique."

According to the former Fiorentina, Cagliari and Milan legend, however, there is "a desert" in terms of goalkeeping talent beyond Buffon.

"It's a troubled position. [Roberto] Anzolin, Lorenzo Buffon, Lido Vieri, [Luciano] Castellini, [Giuliano] Sarti, [Dino] Zoff - these were the best of my generation, and they all played for the national team.

"Today, though, if you took away Buffon, who is there? There isn't anyone who is up to wearing the national shirt."

Albertosi briefly considered the foreign 'keepers in Serie A, but decided that "only one would be worthy - Julio Cesar" and criticised the "stratospheric salary" of error-prone Milan stopper Dida.

Anthony Wright, Goal.com