Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon added another accolade to his trophy chest on Thursday.
Buffon was picked for the annual Dream Team named by popular French soccer magazine L'Equipe.
It was the fourth time in the last five years that the 2006 World Cup winner was named the Dream Team's goalie.
Buffon, who will be 30 on January 28, is the only Italian in this year's team.
The only other Serie A star selected was AC Milan's Brazilian striker Kaka', this year's winner of the European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
Buffon was crucial to Juve's rapid return to Serie A after relegation to Serie B in Italy's match-fixing scandal.
A string of clean sheets this year have boosted Juve fans' hopes of the club challenging champions and leaders Inter for the title.
Buffon, the world's most expensive keeper, won widespread plaudits when he stuck with Juve rather than heeding the siren calls of other big European clubs - unlike several of his teammates.
The 1.91m keeper, who last year rejected a 33-million-euro bid from Chelsea, has a string of international awards to his name.
Last year he narrowly failed to become only the second goalie in history since Soviet legend Lev Yashin (1963) to claim the Ballon d'Or.
He was beaten by his club and international captain Fabio Cannavaro, who is now at Real Madrid.
Buffon's shot-stopping and command during the World Cup consolidated his reputation as the world's best goalie and earned him the tournament's best keeper award, named after Yashin, the 'Black Spider'.
The Juventus No.1 was vital to Italy's campaign, pulling off a series of brilliant saves including one from a bullet header by France's Zinedine Zidane in the final.
Italy only conceded one goal from open play during Germany 2006 - an own goal.
The Ballon d'Or, or Golden Ball, is awarded by France's other main soccer magazine, France Football.
Buffon was born in Carrara on the north Tuscan coast on January 28, 1978, into a sporting family - his father was a weightlifter and his mother the Italian shot put and discus champion.
He made his Serie A debut for FC Parma at the age of 17 years and nine months.
As a boy, Gigi idolised Cameroon goalkeeper Thomas N'Kono, who played for the 'Indomitable Lions' at the 1982 and 1990 World Cups.
Buffon was first-choice goalkeeper at Parma for six seasons before his world-record transfer for 52.59 million euros to Juventus in 2001.
The keeper made his debut for Italy away to Russia in October 1997.
He was a reserve goalkeeper in the Azzurri squad at France 98 while injury forced him to miss Euro 2000.
Buffon was back for Euro 2004 in Portugal but had little chance to make his mark given Italy's first-round exit.
On a personal note, he is engaged to the Czech supermodel Alena Seredova. They are expecting a son in February.
