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Ranking the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees

By Carter Mulvihill

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) /
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26. Gianluigi Buffon

LYON, FRANCE – OCTOBER 18: Goalkeeper of Juventus Gianluigi Buffon gestures during the UEFA Champions League match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Juventus Turin at Parc OL stadium on October 18, 2016 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
LYON, FRANCE – OCTOBER 18: Goalkeeper of Juventus Gianluigi Buffon gestures during the UEFA Champions League match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Juventus Turin at Parc OL stadium on October 18, 2016 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images) /

Yes, he’s still around. Yes, he’s still great. And yes, Gianluigi Buffon is once again on the long list for Ballon d’Or.

Few players are so synonymous with a generation of a country’s playing style than Buffon, who rivals maybe only Andrea Pirlo as the quintessential Italian player of the last two decades.

A keeper who has won everything everywhere he’s been, Buffon showed no signs of slowing down as Juventus breezed to yet another Serie A title. With 21 clean sheets and just 20 goals allowed, Buffon continued to be an impenetrable even at age 38.

His Euros performance was perhaps just as impressive. Under an Antonio Conte who had already accepted the Chelsea manager job, few pegged Italy for a deep tournament run. And while a loss in the quarterfinals didn’t match the country’s 2012 run to the final, Italy did pick up a pair of signature wins over Belgium and Spain before unluckily falling to Germany on penalties.

With neither Lloris or Patricio playing in the Champions League last season, Buffon’s case for Ballon d’Or is stronger than all but one keeper in this year’s field of nominees.

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