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AC Milan’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during their Italian Super Cup match against Juventus in Doha, Qatar. Doha Stadium Plus – Vinod Divakaran, By Doha Stadium Plus Qatar from Doha, Qatar –

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Gianluigi Donnarumma

Gianluigi Donnarumma Cavaliborn is an Italian professional football goalkeeper who now plays for Ligue 1 club Â鶹APP Saint-Germain as well as the Italy national team. He was born on 25 February 1999 and grew up in the football academy of ASD Club Napoli in his native Castellammare di Stabia, which he joined in 2003.

He is Alfonso and Marinella’s son. His older brother, Antonio, was also a goalkeeper in Milan’s youth system. He has backed Milan since boyhood, despite growing up idolizing Gianluigi Buffon.

Here are the top 10 remarkable facts about Gianluigi Donnarumma 

1. Sinisa Mihajlovic elevated Donnarumma to the first team at the age of 16

In February 2015, three days before his sixteenth birthday, Donnarumma received his first call-up to the senior team from manager Filippo Inzaghi; though he did not play in the league match against Cesena, his presence on the substitutes’ bench necessitated a special dispensation due to his age. 

2. He is widely regarded as the successor to Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon is an Italian professional football goalkeeper who captains and plays for the Serie B team Parma. He is widely recognized as one of the all-time best goalkeepers. However, Donnarumma is regarded as one of Italy’s most promising young footballers and one of the most promising young footballers of his generation. Even, Buffon commended the youngster’s physical strength and technical ability, as well as his mental fortitude and decision-making abilities.  Predicting an “amazing career” for Donnarumma in the future, he praised his maturity and ability to deal with the pressures of being a goalie at such a young age.

3. He was named player of the tournament by UEFA

Donnarumma with Italy in 2021,By Biser Todorov –

At the end of each UEFA European Championship competition, many prizes are given to players and teams who stand out from the crowd in various facets of the game.

However, Donnarumma was named player of the tournament by UEFA  and became the first goalkeeper to win the award. Due to his performances throughout the competition,  which include keeping three clean sheets, making nine saves, and conceding only four goals in seven appearances.

4. He was in Italy’s squad for UEFA Euro 2020

Donnarumma was named to Italy’s squad for UEFA Euro 2020 in June 2021.  On 11 June, he kept a clean sheet in Italy’s 3-0 win over Turkey in his debut game in the competition.  Following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the semi-final against Spain on 6 July, he stopped Alvaro Morata’s spot-kick to guide Italy to a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory, advancing Italy to the tournament final.  Following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the final against England at Wembley Stadium on 11 July, Donnarumma stopped two spot kicks during the penalty shootout, including the decisive final kick, to win the tournament for Italy for the first time since 1968.

5. He was the youngest player, aged 17 years and six months, to be called up to the senior squad

Donnarumma playing for AC Milan in 2016-

Gian Piero Ventura called him up to the senior team on August 27 for a friendly against France on 1 September and a 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Israel on 5 September, making him the youngest player to be called up to the senior squad since 1911.

However, Donnarumma made his senior debut against France on September 1st, replacing Gianluigi Buffon at halftime of a 3-1 home loss; he was the youngest goalkeeper to ever play for Italy, aged 17 years and 189 days.

6. He was included in Italy’s 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Manager Luigi Di Biagio named him to Italy’s under-21 squad for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in June 2017.  Following a 3-1 defeat to Spain on June 27, Italy was eliminated from the semi-finals. 

The 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship (also known as UEFA Under-21 Euro 2017) was the 21st edition of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, a biennial international youth football tournament organized by UEFA for Europe’s men’s under-21 national teams.

7. He won the Yashin Trophy

The Yashin Trophy was created to honor goalkeepers after just one – the Russian great Lev Yashin – had ever won the Ballon d’Or since its creation in 1956.

Gianluigi Donnarumma has won the Yashin Trophy, which was presented this year at the Ballon d’Or event in Â鶹APP to the world’s greatest goalkeeper. He, however, became only the second goalkeeper to win the Yashin Trophy, following Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, who won the inaugural Yashin Trophy in 2019. When the Ballon d’Or honors were canceled due to the epidemic in 2020, there was no winner.

8. He was named Lega Serie A Best Goalkeeper

Donnarumma playing for AC Milan in 2016-

Milan director of football Paolo Maldini revealed on May 26, 2021, that Donnarumma will depart the club when his contract expired on June 30, 2021. Donnarumma had indeed made 251 appearances for Milan in all competitions, keeping 88 clean sheets, and was instrumental in the team finishing second in Serie A (and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since 2014) in his final season. Donnarumma, however, was crowned Lega Serie A Best Goalkeeper for his efforts.  The Lega Serie A presents the Serie A Awards to the top footballers in each Italian football season. 

9. He was the youngest player in Series A to make 100 appearances

After a 0-0 home draw against Napoli on April 15, 2018, Donnarumma became the youngest player in Serie A history to reach 100 appearances, at the age of 19 years and 49 days.

10. He was the second youngest goalkeeper to make his series A debut at the age of 16years

Donnarumma playing for AC Milan in 2016-

Donnarumma began his career with AC Milan in 2015, becoming the second-youngest goalie ever to make his Serie A debut, at the age of 16 years and 242 days; he quickly broke into the starting lineup, garnering a reputation as probably the most promising young goalkeeper in the world at the time. After an eight-year absence, Donnarumma helped Milan finish second in the 2020-21 Serie A and qualify for the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League 2021.