Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon's 28-year top-flight career (1995–2023) sets a longevity benchmark that no other goalkeeper on this list, including #1 Lev Yashin's 22 years, can match. He won the 2006 World Cup with Italy, conceding just 2 goals in the knockout stages, and set a World Cup record of 974 consecutive minutes without conceding—a streak that outperforms #4 Oliver Kahn's 2002 final defeat. In Serie A, he amassed 657 clean sheets in 656 games at one point and won 10 league titles with Juventus. Named UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year a record five times (compared to #2 Peter Schmeichel's two IFFHS awards), his composure under pressure was evident in 2006 World Cup final penalty saves. In the Champions League, he reached 3 finals (2006, 2015, 2017) and held a 68% save percentage in European competition, 3% higher than the average elite keeper.