Top 10 Juventus players of all time
Juventus are the most successful club in the history of Italian football and are widely regarded as one of the biggest clubs in the world. The Old Lady, as they are fondly referred to, have grown used to dominating the Serie A, while they have also enjoyed success on the continental stage.
Over the years, some of the most decorated players to have graced the game have donned the black and white stripes and left lasting impressions at the club. With a staggering 36 Serie A titles and innumerable other accolades domestically as well as in Europe, Juventus are the undisputed kings of Italy.
Since the club's inception in 1897, Juventus set the standard in the Serie A and have progressively grown in stature on and off the pitch.
Juventus set to remain top dogs of Italian football for the time being
From the greats of yesterday to legends in the making like Cristiano Ronaldo, the Bianconeri have always managed to recruit top-class talent and are currently on a run of nine successive Serie A triumphs.
Picking the ten greatest players from a sporting institution of the stature of Juventus is no small feat. The likes of Gaetano Scirea, Gianluca Vialli, Fabrizio Ravenelli, David Trezeguet, Andrea Pirlo and Ronaldo himself do not make the top-ten due to a variety of reasons — such is the stature of the Turin based outfit.
In the case of Ronaldo, the fact that he's only been at the club for two years meant he has not been around long enough to displace the rest of the players on the list. Nevertheless, the Portuguese star is one of the greatest footballers of all time and has already broken several long-standing records in his Juventus career.
Ronaldo looks set to write his name into Juventus folklore in the coming years and is one of the club's finest players despite not making the list.
On that note, here are the ten players from different eras who are widely regarded as the club's greatest ever players.
#10 Giampiero Boniperti | 1946 - 1961
Nicknamed Mr Juventus, Giampiero Boniperti spent the entirety of his playing career with the Old Lady and played a pivotal role in establishing the club's dominance in Italy.
The striker was Juventus' leading man for over a decade but was also equally adept at playing on the wings thanks to his technical ability and versatility. In the latter part of his career, Boniperti also played in a withdrawn attacking midfield position and provided several assists, further highlighting his ability as a footballer.
With five Serie A titles and a Golden Boot to his name, the Italian was Juventus' all-time top scorer and appearance maker, before Alessandro Del Piero broke both those records.
Del Piero has himself said that Boniperti is one of the greatest Italian players of all time, as the striker carved out a piece of history for himself with his exploits at the club.
#9 Pavel Nedved | 2001 - 2009
When Zinedine Zidane moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2001, Lazio's Pavel Nedved was identified was the legendary midfielder's replacement. Despite the weight of expectations on his shoulders, the Czech Republic international endured a stunning spell with Juventus and quickly established himself as a key player in Turin.
Juventus won successive Serie A titles between 2001 and 2003, with Nedved in the thick of the action from an advanced midfield position. The mercurial midfielder also won the Ballon d'Or in 2003 ahead of illustrious names such as Thierry Henry and Paolo Maldini, as he cemented his status as one of the best players in the world.
Nedved's versatility coupled with his two-footed ability meant he was blessed with a unique skill set, as he dazzled Juventus fans across the world with his guile on the ball and crossing prowess.
The midfielder remained with Juventus when they were relegated to the Serie A and eventually retired in 2009 with two league titles to his name. Nedved currently serves as the club's vice-chairman and is hailed as one of the club's finest foreign players.
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