Juventus legends: The best Juventus players of all time

17/05/2024

Juventus: Italy's most decorated football club.

Despite having fallen on hard times in recent years, the Turin titans are still the nation's domestic kings, winning a record number of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana titles. A trophy-laden history that dates all the way back to 1897, football clubs don't come much grander than Juventus.

As a result, not only have the Old Lady boasted some of Italy's greatest competitors, they have also seen world superstars travel with regularity to the northwest of the country to don the fabled black and white jersey.

Here are the 25 greatest players to have ever represented Juventus.

25. Antonio Conte

juventus legends: the best juventus players of all time

Antonio Conte is a Juventus legend having played and managed in Turin | Claudio Villa/GettyImages

Antonio Conte's grit and determination in the centre of the park quickly resonated with Juve fans after his 1991 move from Lecce and the Italian general would spend 13 years lifting trophy after trophy in Turin.

Just as impressive as the recovery of his hairline was his Juve comeback in 2011, taking over as the club's manager for three years and guiding the giants to three successive Serie A titles.

24. Arturo Vidal

A warrior in midfield for Juve | Valerio Pennicino/GettyImages

A battle axe midfielder doesn't quite do justice to just how ruthless Arturo Vidal was in the engine room. The no-nonsense South American, unsurprisingly given his play style, thrived under Conte in the early 2010s with tackles as sharp as his mohawk.

The Chilean popped up with his fair share of goals too, netting an impressive 48 in 171 matches for Juve.

23. Alessio Tacchinardi

Tacchinardi spent 13 years in Turin | Simon M Bruty/GettyImages

Juve supporters appreciate work rate above anything else and Alessio Tacchinardi provided it in abundance. The defensive midfielder ran the club's engine room for 13 years, but was also well accustomed to a screamer or two.

Tacchinardi is one of 50 Juve legends to have his name written on the wall of the Allianz Stadium, highlighting just how adored he is by the club's faithful.

22. Franco Causio

Causio was a class act on the wing | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

With a moustache that puts former Juve man Ian Rush to shame, Franco Causio enjoyed two spells with Juve. The first spanned just two years in the late 1960s, but he returned to Turin between 1970 and 1981.

He won six Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup during his days in black and white, also lifting the World Cup in 1982 shortly after his Juve exit.

21. Ciro Ferrera

Ferrara briefly managed Juve too | Claudio Villa/ Grazia Neri/GettyImages

Ciro Ferrara represented two clubs during his career: Napoli and Juve. Both sets of supporters adore the full-back, who very briefly took charge of the Juve team in 2009.

Only five players have won more trophies over the course of Juve's illustrious history, with the tough-tackling defender arguably the club's greatest full-back.

20. Andrea Barzagli

Barzagli was an immense central defender | Giuseppe Bellini/GettyImages

Andrea Barzagli doesn't always receive the same plaudits as some of his central defensive partners, but the Italian proved his immense quality during eight years at Juve at the end of his career.

The centre-back made up for his lack of speed and athleticism with wonderful intelligence and great physicality, winning a league title in all eight of his full seasons at Juve.

19. Antonio Cabrini

Cabrini is a World Cup winner | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

Part of the famous 1985 European Cup-winning Juventus side - one of only two times the Italian club have lifted the trophy - Antonio Cabrini is another full-back to have written his name into club folklore.

He played in the club's triumph over Liverpool and also won six league titles and two Coppa Italia trophies during a 13-year career at Juve.

18. Marco Tardelli

Tardelli spent a decade at Juventus | Jean-Yves Ruszniewski/GettyImages

Players like Marco Tardelli walked so the likes of Rodri could run, with the defensive midfielder possessing all the skills required to dictate matches in a deep-lying position.

Tardelli was a real all-rounder famed for his tireless displays, lifting the 1985 European Cup with Juve and 1982 World Cup with Italy - scoring in the final of the latter against West Germany.

17. Claudio Marchisio

Marchisio was so, so slick in midfield | Claudio Villa/GettyImages

Another box-to-box king in the centre of the pitch for the Old Lady, Claudio Marchisio is one of the club's modern legends. His supreme technical quality kept him at the club for 13 years having come through the youth setup.

The local lad really could do anything with a football at his feet, from pin-point passes to crunching tackles to excellent long-range strikes. Few midfielders have had such an impact on Italian football in the 21st century.

16. David Trezeguet

Trezeguet was a fantastic goalscorer | New Press/GettyImages

While injuries hampered David Trezeguet reaching his absolute peak, the fantastic number nine was a relentless goalscorer for Juve. He sits fourth in the club's all-time rankings for goals, with 171 to his name.

The prolific Frenchman spent a decade in Italy and stuck with Juve during the 2006 Calciopoli scandal that saw Juve relegated to Serie B. For that, as much as his efficiency in front of goal, he is a club icon.

15. Paolo Rossi

Rossi won plenty of silverware with the Old Lady | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

Another 1982 World Cup final goalscorer, Paolo Rossi didn't spend too long with Juve. Having come through the club's academy, the striker left for Vicenza to find first-team football before returning for a four-year stint in Turin in the early 1980s.

The diminutive centre-forward dazzled during his time at Juve, however, winning the Ballon d'Or in 1982 and stunning supporters with his agility, speed and eye for goal.

14. Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo oozed class | Marco Luzzani/GettyImages

Calmness personified, Andrea Pirlo was the classiest of operators. The Italian maestro is one of the greatest passers of all time and, despite also spending just four years at Juve, is easily one of the club's all-time legends.

Nothing fazed the effortless midfielder, who really defined the role of a deep-lying playmaker. Forgeting his short stint as the club's manager, his time in Turin really was flawless.

13. Giuseppe Furino

Furino was an aggressive midfielder | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

Only four players have represented Juve more frequently than Giuseppe Furino, who finished up with 528 appearances to his name in all competitions. 15 years and 12 trophies after his arrival, the midfielder eventually called time on his career in 1984.

Furino, rather aptly, was nicknamed 'Fury' by Juve fans for his aggressive approach in the middle of the pitch.

12. Roberto Bettega

Bettega scored for fun at Juventus | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

Strikers don't come much more prolific than Bettega, who scored 178 times over a 13-year spell with Juve. The Turin-born star fired the club to glory and lifted seven Serie A titles over the years.

Bettega remains one of Italy's great centre-forwards and was a striker who possessed a range of skills when leading the line, blending physicality with a great poacher's instinct.

11. John Charles

Charles was a record signing | Central Press/GettyImages

You may have expected Rush to be the first sharpshooting Welshman to represent Juve, but that's not true. Charles preceded him, forging a path as one of Juve' greatest ever stars during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The Swansea-born trailblazer cost a then British record £65,000 when moving to Juve, finishing with 105 goals in just 179 appearances.

10. Roberto Baggio

Baggio played for Italy's best clubs | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

While one of his most famous moments may be that penalty miss in the 1994 World Cup final, nothing can detract from the genius of the electric Italian centre forward.

The 1993 Ballon d'Or winner also donned the shirts of AC Milan, Inter and Fiorentina over the course of a brilliant career, but it's at Juve where he is most revered.

9. Zinedine Zidane

An absolute genius with a football | Claudio Villa/GettyImages

While most closely associated with Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane is also a legendary figure at Juve. Another Ballon d'Or winner at the Turin club, the midfielder spent five years in Italy and won his fair share of silverware - although he twice finished runner-up in the Champions League.

The graceful No.21 swiftly endeared himself to Italian crowds with his lung-busting runs, gliding dribbles and powerful strikes, with his headbutt in the 2006 World Cup final for France also helping Italy win the World Cup.

8. Dino Zoff

Zoff was a sensational goalkeeper | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

Juve have had some pretty remarkable goalkeepers over the years, with Dino Zoff among the best to have ever stood between the sticks. He won the UEFA Cup as both a player and a manager at the club, while also twice reaching the European Cup final during his playing days.

Zoff finished as runner-up in the 1973 Ballon d'Or vote - a pretty incredible achievement for a goalkeeper.

7. Pavel Nedved

Nedved won the Ballon d'Or at Juve | Grazia Neri/GettyImages

Speaking of the Ballon d'Or, Pavel Nedved was crowned the world's best in 2003 after some immense performances with Juve. The Czech legend guided the Old Lady to two Serie A titles and helped them to the 2003 Champions League final.

The tricky wide midfielder often left defenders in a haze, desperately trying to catch up to his long blonde hair waving in the wind, and was also a regular goalscorer and provider.

6. Giorgio Chiellini

Modern day hero | Daniele Badolato - Juventus FC/GettyImages

A modern day legend at the club, Giorgio Chiellini was the leader of one of the best backlines in European football.

Alongside his famous partners Leonardo Bonucci and Barzagli, Chiellini made Juve damn near impenetrable during the heyday of Conte and Massimiliano Allegri's spells in charge.

By the time he left the club in 2022, the towering defender had 19 winner's medals to his name, including nine Scudettos. That's pretty damn impressive.

5. Gaetano Scirea

Legendary defender | Alessandro Sabattini/GettyImages

Gaetano Scirea is the most aspirational figure in Juve's history. The player who embodies the good that the club aim to project out to the world.

He was the personification of 'Lo Stile Juve', the model pro and a natural-born winner.

4. Gianluigi Buffon

Greatest goalkeeper of all time | Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages

The greatest goalkeeper of all time, Gianluigi Buffon turned out for Juve 685 times across two spells and won a club-record 21 trophies in that time.

What's perhaps more remarkable than the number of appearances and trophies was how consistently brilliant Buffon was from the moment he joined for a then-record fee in 2001 before his departure 20 years later.

3. Michel Platini

Three-time Ballon d'Or winner | Getty Images/GettyImages

The three seasons in which Michel Platini won the Ballon d'Or and the Capocannoniere are probably the three best seasons any footballer has ever played in a Juve shirt.

Platini was simply unstoppably good.

As well as earning himself plenty of individual prizes, he also helped Juve win two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia and a European Cup in that period.

2. Giampiero Boniperti

All-time great | Central Press/GettyImages

Before Alessandro Del Piero, there was Giampiero Boniperti.

The number ten joined the club on VE Day in 1945 and instantly became the club's prized asset. His performances for the glorious team of the 1950s have gone down in club history, as have his contributions as the club's honorary president for 30 years after his retirement from the game.