The award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities. Few, if any, goalkeepers have remained at the top of football for as long as Buffon, whose remarkable and consistent performances spanned an astonishing 28-year career.

With 176 caps, Buffon is the most capped goalkeeper of all time, the most capped player in the history of the Italian national team and the fourth most capped European player of all time. He reached the peak of his career in 2006, where he played a decisive role in Italy's victory at the FIFA World Cup held in Germany.

Buffon won a record ten Serie A titles, as well as the 1999 UEFA Cup, six Coppa Italia and Ligue 1 during a career that took him from Parma to Juventus and back again, with a brief stint at Paris Saint-Germain.

Aleksander Čeferin, president of UEFA

Gianluigi Buffon is a player I have admired since he emerged from a very young age, as a charismatic goalkeeper for Parma in the mid-nineties. Beyond his imposing presence between the sticks, his longevity and determination make him an inspiration to football fans around the world. His remarkable consistency across generations might lead many to believe that staying at the top is easy. The fact that he chose to follow his club to Serie B during his prime, despite being wanted by the world's top clubs, says it all. Buffon is also one of the first sportsmen to speak openly about mental health and depression, thereby helping to raise awareness of this issue in professional sport."

The goalkeeper had a habit of making incredible saves in finals – just ask Filippo Inzaghi (UEFA Champions League final in 2003) or Dani Alves (same competition in 2015). Like a fine Italian wine, he improved with age, winning the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year Award at the age of 39 after Juventus reached their second Champions League final in three years.

Buffon finally hung up his gloves just over a year ago, ending his career where it all began in November 1995 with Parma: “That’s all folks!” he said, having secured his status as one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history. “You’ve given me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together.”

The award will be presented to Buffon at the draw ceremony for the 36-team UEFA Champions League 2024/25 league phase, which takes place on Thursday 29 August at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

The list of previous UEFA President’s Award winners can be found here.

Previous winners of the UEFA President's Award:

1998: Jacques Delors (European Commission, France)

1999: No award

2000: Guy Roux (France)

2001: Juan Santisteban (Spain)

2002: Sir Bobby Robson (England)

2003: Paolo Maldini (Italy) )

2004: Ernie Walker (Scotland)

2005: Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands)

2006: Wilfried Straub (Germany)

2007: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)

2008: Sir Bobby Charlton (England)

2009: Eusébio (Portugal)

2010: Raymond Kopa (France) )

2011: Gianni Rivera (Italy)

2012: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)

2013: Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)

2014: Josef Masopust (Czech Republic)

2015: No award

2016: No award

2017: Francesco Totti (Italy)

2018: David Beckham (England)

2019: Eric Cantona (France)

2020: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

2021 : Simon Kjær and the medical team in Copenhagen during EURO 2020 (Denmark)

2022: Arrigo Sacchi (Italy)

2023: Miroslav Klose (Germany)

2024: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)