Leonardo Bonucci: Former Italy, Juventus and AC Milan star retires from football - 'I dreamed of this story'

Former Italy, Juventus and AC Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci has announced his retirement from football.

The centre-back’s final club was Fenerbahce, who he played for during the second half of the 2023/24 season, after leaving Union Berlin in January.

He made the move to Turkey in order to push for a place in Italy’s squad for Euro 2024, but he failed to receive a call-up from manager Luciano Spalletti.

In a highly-decorated career, Bonucci won the European Championship with his country in 2020 and scored the equaliser against England in the final, before his team went on to win on penalties at Wembley.

At club level, Bonucci won the Serie A title eight times with Juventus.

In an emotional video posted on social media to mark his retirement, Bonucci said: “As a child, I dreamed of this story I would tell, promising myself achievements to embrace against the biggest, celebrating, having faith through difficulties with courage.

“A father, a team-mate, a husband, a player. Beyond. Beyond history today, I am me.”

Bonucci’s time in football will be best remembered for the two spells he had at Juventus, where he made 502 appearances and added four Coppa Italia winners’ medals and five Italian Super Cups to his league successes.

A statement from the Old Lady said: “A player who formed an enormous part of our recent history has decided to leave the world of football. 

“Leonardo Bonucci has decided to retire from football, an announcement that touches us deeply, because Leo has his name etched into the Juventus archives.”

Between 2012 and 2020, Juventus dominated Italian football and for five of those years, that was put down to the brutal defensive backline of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.

In 190 league matches, they conceded just 111 goals.

Juventus have paid tribute to Bonucci’s role in that group.

“A pillar and one of the 'B's' of the BBC, 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.”

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