Founded by a group of football-loving students in 1897, Juventus is the most successful club in the history of the Italian Serie A. The Bianconeri won the Calcio 36 times, which puts them ahead of everyone else in the country. In this article we are going to discuss the biggest Juventus players in the club’s history.
Although their legacy is still impaired because of the Calciopoli affair in 2006, they remain one of Earth’s most prominent football organizations. Their fanbase is huge globally, and they have supporters on every continent.
Today we will discuss who are the Top 10 of the greatest Juventus players in history. Some incredible figures have worn the legendary shirt of the Old Lady in the past. But who are the absolute best? When we talk about Juventus, famous players are just everywhere.
Giorgio Chiellini
Spending 17 seasons (and counting) with Juventus’ shirt, Giorgio Chiellini helped the Bianconeri win the Serie A title nine consecutive times between 2012 and 2020. Considering he also captained Italy for winning the European Cup in 2021, you can see why Chiellini should be considered one of the greatest Italian defenders in history.
The influential centre-back signed a contract with Juve in the summer of 2004, but he spent the first year loaned to Fiorentina. His performance for La Viola convinced Juventus to bring him back to the team, and the result is spectacular – he never wore another club’s shirt since then. He has played more than 500 games for the Serie A giants.
Pavel Nedved
When Juventus signed Lazio’s Pavel Nedved in 2001, they knew they got an excellent player. But most probably, they didn’t expect to see Nedved becoming a Ballon d’Or winner as he did.
Primarily playing as an attacking midfielder, Pavel Nedved spent eight seasons in Turin. He led the team to the Serie A title twice and reached the Champions League final in 2003. Sadly, he could not participate in the final as he got suspended for the yellow cards he received. This seriously weakened Juve, who lost against AC Milan via penalties at Old Trafford. During this time, Nedved was one of Juventus’ most decisive players, having scored 15 goals during this particular season.
Omar Sivori
A player who represented both Argentina and Italy during his career, Omar Sivori was one of Juventus’ most impressive players during the ’50s and the ’60s. Playing as a forward, Sivori defended Juventus’ colors in the period between 1957 and 1965.
A creative and technically gifted player, Omar Sivori played 317 games for Juventus and scored an impressive 168 goals despite not being a typical striker. Scoring was not Sivori’s only talent, as he was also capable of creating chances for his teammates. He won Serie A three times with the Turin giants.
Roberto Baggio
Another golden child of Italian football, Roberto Baggio is not a player who needs any representation. Although he’s still haunted by his missed penalty in the World Cup 94 final against Brazil, Baggio took his place among the most spectacular players in the history of Italian football.
Roberto Baggio defended Juventus’ colors between 1990 and 1995, winning three major trophies with the Old Lady – Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Cup.
In 1993 Roberto Baggio won the most significant individual award in his career when he won the Ballon d’Or vote. Today we remember him as one of best Juventus players of all-time.
Paolo Rossi
In 1982 Paolo Rossi became one of the greatest Italian players of all time when he inspired the Azzurri to win the World Cup in Spain. Pablito became the competition’s top scorer as he scored 6 goals for Italy.
The legendary striker wore Juventus’ shirt between 1981 and 1985, winning the Serie A twice and helping the club win the European Cup. With the Old Lady, Rossi also triumphed with the Coppa Italia and the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Paolo Rossi died from lung cancer in 2020, but he remains one of Italy’s golden children.
Gaetano Scirea
A prominent member of Juventus’ squad in the 70’s and the 80’s, Gaetano Scirea spent the majority of his career with the Bianconeri’s shirt.
He won the impressive seven gold medals from the Serie A, and he’s one of just nine players who managed to win all of the three major European competitions – the European Cup, the UEFA Cup, and the Cup Winners’ Cup. Scirea was also part of Italy’s squad that won the World Cup in 1982.
Gaetano Scirea tragically died too young in a car crash in 1989, but today he’s remembered as one of the best Italian defenders we have ever seen.
Zinedine Zidane
This French maestro spent just five seasons in Italy before moving to Real Madrid, but his time in Turin was absolutely unforgettable for Juventus’ fans. It’s a rare thing to see such a talented, elegant, and creative player who seems to be dancing on the pitch.
During his time in Turin, Zidane won the Serie A twice, but he had the bad luck to lose two consecutive Champions League finals. In his trophy cabinet with Juventus, we could also add the Supercoppa Italiana, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup.
Zidane leaving for Spain was a sad day for Juve’s fans, but the club got a record fee of 77.5 million euros for his services.
Michel Platini
Former UEFA president Michel Platini is one of France’s greatest players ever and one of Juventus’ biggest legends. The French maestro spent five seasons with Juve’s shirt between 1982 and 1987 and scored 103 goals in 222 games for the club.
Having won the Ballon d’Or three consecutive times between 1983 and 1985, Platini was an elegant playmaker who knew how to create danger for the opponent. He was not just creating chances for his teammates but also scoring very often. It’s safe to say Platini had the whole package to reach greatness. And he did.
Michel Platini’s most remarkable success with Juventus came in 1985 when he won the European Cup for the first time in the club’s history. The Old Lady beat Liverpool in the final, but football fans will never forget the game for the human stampede that occurred at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels that cost the life of 39 people.
Alessandro Del Piero
One of Juventus’ favorite sons, Alessandro Del Piero, left the club as a colossal legend having scored 290 goals for the Bianconeri. Del Piero was a magnificent attacker who was terrorizing defenses with his technique and creativity in his peak years.
He spent the glorious 19 seasons with Juve, and he’s still the club’s all-time scorer. He also holds the record for most appearances for the team – 705 in all competitions.
During his time at Juventus, Del Piero won the Serie A six times while also triumphed in the Champions League in 1996.
Gianluigi Buffon
Considered to be the greatest Italian goalkeeper of all time, Gianluigi Buffon remains one of the most significant figures in Juventus’ history as well. He was very young when he joined Juve from Parma, but his career became absolutely fantastic.
Buffon fulfilled his potential in the best way possible, and he won the Italian league 10 times. At this moment, he’s also the player with the most appearances in the history of Serie A – 657.
When he was in his prime, Gigi Buffon was one of the most phenomenal goalkeepers the world has ever seen. Because of his ability to make impossible saves, Buffon was often likened to a superhero.
Honorable Mention: Giampiero Boniperti
A former striker who has scored 179 goals for Juventus, Giampiero Boniperti is considered one of Juventus’ greatest legends. He spent his whole career with the Bianconeri shirt, winning the Serie A on five occasions. Boniperti also won the Coppa Italia twice, while in 2012, he was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. In 2004 Pele named him as one of the best 125 living footballers. Giampaolo Boniperti is dead now, but the whole of Italy remembers him as one of Juventus’ famous soccer players.