France and Juventus legend Michel Platini believes Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon deserves to be the title of European Player of the Year. At the very least, the Frenchman believes one of the seven members of Italy’s World Cup winning squad should take home the honor, though he backs the Juventus goalkeeper as his No. 1 choice. “I would personally give it to Buffon as the time has arrived for another goalkeeper to win the award after Lev Yashin [who won in 1963],” he said. Buffon conceded just two goals during Italy’s seven-game march to their fourth World Cup title; these were an unstoppable own goal against the USA and a penalty kick from Zinedine Zidane in the final. Last season with Juventus, he conceded just 24 goals in 38 matches. If Buffon is not awarded Europe’s top individual prize, Platini said the award should go to Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, who also had an excellent World Cup. “It has always been this way as the Golden Ball is awarded to players who have done well in the World Cup – Paolo Rossi in 1982, Igor Belanov in 1986 and Hristo Stoitchkov in 1994.”