Juventus, Italy legend Bonucci confirms retirement
Written by I Dig SportsJuventus legend Leonardo Bonucci has retired at the age of 37, the veteran defender confirmed on Wednesday.
Bonucci spent 12 seasons at Juventus, with spells at AC Milan, Treviso, Pisa, Bari, and Union Berlin, before he finished his career with a short stint at Fenerbahçe last season.
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However, it was his time in Turin where he had the biggest impact, winning 19 trophies including five Serie A titles.
"A player who formed an enormous part of our recent history has decided to leave the world of football," Juventus said in a statement.
"Leonardo Bonucci has decided to retire form football, an announcement that touches us deeply, because Leo has his name etched into the Juventus archives: 502 matches played in the black and white jersey, with eight league titles, four Italian Cups and five Italian Super Cups.
"A pillar and one of the 'B's' of the BBC [with Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini,] a defensive trio that has written so many legendary pages, Bonucci shared 12 seasons with us.
"We said goodbye last September, but the thread that binds us cannot be broken. Not even now that Leo has decided to embark on a new chapter in his life, for which we wish him only the best."
Bonucci won 121 caps for Italy and played in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. He also competed in three European Championship tournaments including Euro 2020, which Italy won.