Soccer: Buffon among 30 Ballon d'Or candidates

(ANSA) - Rome, October 24 - Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is among the 30 candidates to win this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or footballer of the year award, France Football said Monday. The 38-year-old had come under fire following some uncharacteristic recent mistakes, including a blunder that cost Italy a goal in a World Cup qualifier against Spain that ended 1-1 this month. But he showed he is still one of the best keepers in the world with a superlative display in Juve's 1-0 win over Lyon in the Champions League last week. Many in Italy consider it an injustice that Buffon has never even come close to winning the Ballon d'Or.
    He helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup and lifted seven Serie A titles with Juve, not including the 2004-05 and 2005-06 crowns the club was stripped of due to the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.
    Buffon's Juve team mates, Argentina forwards Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain, are also on the list.