Italy and Juventus captain Leonardo Bonucci has announced that he will retire from football at the end of next season.
The 36-year-old played his 500th game against Sevilla last week and has won eight Serie A titles in two stints at the Italian club. Additionally, he has 120 international caps and was a part of the Italy team that defeated England in July 2021 to win Euro 2020.
According to him, “wearing this shirt has been like living a dream for 12 years,” he said on Juventus’ YouTube account.
“Everything I’ve done has been for a shirt that for me is like a second skin.
“There’s still a little boy inside who is so happy to wear this shirt and take to the field in it because it was his dream – a dream come true.”
Leonaro Bonucci – An Italy Legend
Bonucci, whose contract ends next season, began his career with Inter Milan in 2005, and won his first Serie A title in 2005-06.
Before joining Juventus in 2010 where he formed part of a famous Juve backline along with Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon that dominated Italian football for a decade, the defender also had time at Treviso, Pisa, Genoa, and Bari.
The Turin giants won nine successive titles between 2011-12 and 2019-20, with Bonucci claiming eight of those after spending one season at AC Milan in 2017-18.
Bonucci made his Italy debut in March 2010 and captained the side for the first time four years later.
▪️ European Championship
▪️ Serie A (x9)
▪️ Coppa Italia (x4)
▪️ Supercoppa Italiana (x5)36-year-old Leonardo Bonucci announces he will retire at the end of next season 👏 pic.twitter.com/bWcBulS7E1
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 17, 2023
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He represented the Azzurri at two World Cups and three European Championships, finishing runner-up at Euro 2012 before lifting the trophy nine years later following a penalty shootout win over England at Wembley.
When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era – a way of defending Italian style,” he added.
“It’s a source of pride to be up there with the greatest. I hope lots of future defenders will see us as idols – just as we did with (Franco) Baresi, (Alessandro) Nesta, (Paolo) Maldini and (Fabio) Cannavaro.
“It would mean we have achieved a lot and given the game a lot.”
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