Alessandro del Piero and Juventus: An everlasting relationship that will never end

The relationship between Alessandro Del Piero and Juventus may have ended on paper and paper alone, but the relationship that the Italian footballer has with Juventus in general, with the fans, is far from over. It is an everlasting, beautiful relationship that just shows the passion that the two entities have towards each other.

May 2012 – Juventus have won their first Scudetto since 2003. It had taken them nine years to claim the trophy that rightfully belonged to them. The members of the team are jumping with joy, the president is happy, the manager is relieved and the fans are ecstatic. The streets of Turin are filled with people celebrating, some of whom have travelled across different time zones and continents to join in.

A week later, there was a mixture of sadness and joy. A middle-aged man free from work on a nice weekend turns on to the channel to the Juventus–Atalanta game, only to find that the supporters of the winning team are crying in despair. He is shocked and tries to reason what he has just seen. Another Calciopoli? Did Massimo Moratti create another scandal? Has Palazzi been able to pull off treachery again? The work-oriented man has probably not followed the rise of the most coveted team in Italy, or probably he watches the English Premier Division.

The Juve tifosi are in tears because the God of Turin is leaving. The club has ended an unforgettable relationship with Il Capitano. The captain of Juventus, a player with most appearances, most goals…God indeed. The man in front of the television wonders whether the happiness of securing a major trophy after a period of nine long years is greater, or the sadness surrounding the departure of “the real phenomenon”.

After seeing the footage on live television, he agrees with the latter. Many Bianconeri supporters are still angry about the decision for the captain to be axed. Is our captain bigger than our club? Or is our legendary club bigger than our legendary captain instead? Whatever the answer to that question, the two go hand in hand. Would Juventus have been a club of such immense value without Del Piero? Would Alex have been such a fabulous player without Juventus?

There are many players who achieve a level of supremacy – the “best”. But being the “greatest” is something entirely different. Greatness is not achieved by winning a Ballon d’Or alone, or by performing a couple of stepovers. It cannot be achieved just by winning a World Cup or a Champions League. It is a gradual progressive level that one can only attain through years of struggle on the field and off it.

Alessandro Del Piero is the greatest footballer in the opinion of most of the Juventinos. It is justified for obvious reasons, starting with 19 years of loyalty portrayed by the captain, but that is not the only reason. From winning the league cup, to numerous Scudettos and a single European Cup, Alex Del Piero has won it all at Juventus. He has won all the possible trophies with the club (including the Serie-B), numerous personal accolades and the hearts of not just Juventus supporters but the fans of football.

Alex is probably the most technically gifted player the club has ever had, probably even better than Il divin Codino. This technique is not just applicable to skills on the ball but also to his off the ball movement, his technique of shooting the ball from just anywhere. The most versatile free kick taker the world has seen. These are just glimpses of how good a player he was on the field. The dependency La Vecchia Signora have had on him is unbelievable.