Emerging Star Louis Buffon: A Dual Nationality Journey in Football

Louis Buffon is a forward making significant strides in his football career, currently signed with Pisa and representing the Czech Republic at youth level, diverging from his father’s native Italy. He began his journey in the youth academies of Sisport and Juventus, ultimately transferring to Pisa in 2023 and making his professional debut in 2025.

Buffon’s choice of his son’s middle name pays homage to his childhood idol, Thomas N’Kono, the esteemed former goalkeeper for Espanyol and Cameroon, known for his notable performance at the Italia ’90 World Cup, where Cameroon was narrowly defeated by England in the quarter-finals. At just 17 years old, Louis has made headlines with his remarkable scoring ability during the latest international break. He netted three goals in Czechia’s 6-1 triumph over Azerbaijan and later contributed as a substitute in a 2-2 draw against Malta. He returned to the starting lineup against Northern Ireland, where he scored another hat-trick, leading Czechia to a decisive 4-0 victory.

Louis Buffon is the son of Gianluigi Buffon, one of Italy’s most recognizable football figures. His mother, Alena Seredova, hails from the Czech Republic. The couple married in 2011 but divorced three years later. In a recent interview with the Czech Football Association, Louis shared that his decision to represent Czechia was supported by his father. He stated, “I talked with my family and decided that playing for the Czech Republic would be the best option for my career and my development as a player. My mother was obviously very happy, but my father was too, because it was my first call-up to the national team.”

Gianluigi Buffon retired from professional football in 2023 at the age of 45, concluding a stellar career as one of the greatest goalkeepers in history. Post-retirement, he was appointed head of delegation for the Italian national team. Buffon began his illustrious career at his boyhood club, Parma, making his debut in 1995 and winning the UEFA Cup. In 2001, he made a world-record transfer for a goalkeeper to Juventus, where he spent the majority of his career. Throughout his tenure at Juventus, which included a brief period at Paris Saint-Germain, he won an exceptional 10 Serie A titles and remained with the club despite its relegation in the Calciopoli scandal, aiding in their return to the top tier. On the international stage, he famously captained Italy to victory in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and holds the record for the most international caps for Italy with 176 appearances. He concluded his playing career by returning to Parma for two final seasons.

Louis Buffon retains the option to switch his allegiance from Czechia to Italy, as he holds dual Italian citizenship and has yet to compete in a senior competitive international match for the Czech national team. Although he has represented Czechia at youth levels, including the Under-18 and Under-19 squads, this does not mandate a permanent commitment to the country. According to FIFA regulations, players with dual nationality may switch allegiance to another eligible nation, provided they have not yet made a senior competitive appearance. Since Buffon is eligible for Italy through his father and was born in the country, a future allegiance switch remains a viable opportunity for this emerging winger.