Former AC Milan player Paolo Maldini has joined the group of ex-players in criticizing Ballon d'Or chiefs for leaving former Italy teammate Gianluigi Buffon from the list of potential winners of FIFA's prestigious trophy.
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Expressing his views on the absence of Buffon, Maldini said that the trophy has lost its credibility as the focus has been shifted to pleasing clubs and federations, Sport24 reported.
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Maldini said that the Italian player absolutely deserves to be in the list as he is one of the three best goalkeepers in the world.
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The 47-year-old, however, said that Barcelona's Claudio Bravo and Arsenal's David Ospina did not deserve to be a part of the list.
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He added that Buffon had proved to be one of the pillars for Juventus that helped his club in winning Series A title and entering to the Champions League final.
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Meanwhile, Buffon, who has won 150 Italy caps, also said that he believed himself to be among the 'top five goalkeepers' in the world.