Gianluigi Buffon Reveals the 3 Most Formidable Opponents He Faced in His Glittering Career

Prior to his last ever appearance in the Coppa Italia, Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon has revealed the three players who have given him the toughest test throughout his career - and there are no prizes for guessing two of them.

The veteran goalkeeper will lineup for Juventus on Wednesday, with the Bianconeri set to take on AC Milan in the Coppa Italia final in Rome. Buffon will then return to the Italian capital this weekend to face AS Roma in search of a seventh straight scudetto.

But one major talking point that Buffon discussed ahead of the game, and with his retirement just around the corner, was surrounding who are the top three players he has ever faced.

As would be the case with most professionals over the last decade, the Juventus star named Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as two of his picks for the shortlist of his toughest opponents.

Claudio Villa/ Grazia Neri/GettyImages

But one name that could have gone under the radar, largely due to his injury-plagued time in Italy, was none other than former Brazil and Inter striker, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima - or R9 for short.

"I have faced great players," Buffon said, quoted by the Daily Mail. "I can not remember them all but Messi, Cristiano and Ronaldo are probably the best three who challenged me during my career."

Buffon will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, along with the likes of recently crowned Liga NOS champion, Iker Casillas.

But the 40-year-old was in danger of tarnishing his legacy last month when Buffon when sent off in the quarter-final of the Champions League against Real Madrid, following a highly publicised altercation with referee Michael Oliver.