Leonardo Bonucci, recognised as one of football’s great defenders, was part of the famous Juventus backline that included Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon as the Bianconeri won eight titles between the 2011-12 and 2019-20 seasons.The four were considered an impenetrable wall for almost a decade and were seen as one of the last stands in the ‘old school’ understanding of defensive lines in football. At the moment Chiellini is playing for Los Angeles FC in MLS, Buffon is in Serie B defending the goal of his boyhood club Parma, Barzagli retired in 2019 and is now part of the Italian national team coaching staff. The 36-year-old Bonucci, who has 12 months left on his current Juventus contract, has decided that this will be his last season playing football.The 120-times capped Bonucci was part of Italy’s Euro 2020-winning team and is a nine-time Serie A champion – claiming eight titles at Juventus and one at AC Milan, where he spent the 2017-18 season.▪️ 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 He made his 500th Juventus appearance against Sevilla in the Europa League last week.“When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era – a way of defending Italian style,” Bonucci said in an interview series with the club’s YouTube channel to mark his 500th appearance in the Old Lady shirt.“I hope lots of future defenders – just as we had with (Franco) Baresi, (Alessandro) Nesta, (Paolo) Maldini, (Fabio) Cannavaro will see us four as idols.“It’s a source of pride to be up there with the greatest. It would mean we have achieved a lot and given the game a lot.”##NAJAVA_MECA_7261890##Bonucci made his Juventus debut in 2010 after being thrust into the starting line-up for a Europa League game. Over time, he has formed one-part of a legendary Italy and Juventus defence alongside centre-back partner Chiellini.The duo have achieved tremendous success together at both international and club level, with their most recent mega achievement seeing them guide Italy to a Euro final win over England in 2021.Bonucci was close to also being a European club champion in 2017 but fell agonizingly short as Juventus were beaten 4-1 in the final by Real Madrid as a Cristiano Ronaldo brace sealed victory for the Spanish side.The 36-year-old angered Juventus supporters when he left to join rivals AC Milan in 2017 before returning in a swap deal a year later.Bonucci has become an Italian top-flight champion with Juventus eight times and has lifted four Italian Cup’s and five Super Cup’s with the club during a hugely successful spell.
