Gianluigi Buffon could become the oldest player to win the UEFA Champions League if Juventus triumph in Cardiff, eclipsing Paolo Maldini, who won the last of his five titles in 2007.
Gianluigi Buffon could become the oldest winner of the UEFA Champions League if Juventus overcome Real Madrid in Cardiff on 3 June.
Oldest UEFA Champions League winners:
Paolo Maldini: AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool, 23/05/2007 – 38 years, 331 days
Pietro Vierchowod: Juventus 1-1 Ajax, 22/05/1996 – 37 years, 46 days
Alessandro Costacurta: AC Milan 0-0 Juventus, 28/05/2003 – 37 years, 34 days
Javier Zanetti: Internazionale 2-0 Bayern München, 22/05/2010 – 36 years, 285 days
Marco Materazzi: Internazionale 2-0 Bayern München, 22/05/2010 – 36 years, 276 days
The Italian goalkeeper and Juventus captain is already the fifth oldest player to appear in the match, having featured in the Bianconeri’s 3-1 defeat by Barcelona in 2015, aged 37 years, 129 days. However, two years on Buffon – who will be 39 years, 126 days old on the day of the final – can surpass another Italian great, Maldini, should he captain Juve to glory at the National Stadium of Wales.
Maldini was aged 38 years, 331 days when he skippered AC Milan to victory against Liverpool in the 2007 final, the defender’s fifth triumph in the competition.
Regardless of the outcome in Cardiff, Buffon will become the second oldest player to figure in a UEFA Champions League final – a record currently held by Edwin van der Sar, who was aged 40 years, 211 days in Manchester United’s 2011 loss to Barcelona.
Oldest UEFA Champions League finalists:
Edwin van der Sar: Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, 28/05/2011 – 40 years 211 days
Paolo Maldini: AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool, 23/05/2007 – 38 years 331 days
Lothar Matthäus: Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munchen, 26/05/1999 – 38 years 66 days
Ryan Giggs: Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, 28/05/2011 – 37 years 180 days
Gianluigi Buffon: Juventus 1-3 Barcelona, 06/06/2015 – 37 years 129 days
Source: uefa.com
