Italian center-back Leonardo Bonucci plans to have one more run with Juventus before riding off to the sunset. Bonucci, who serves as Juve’s captain, announced that he intends to retire from professional soccer after the 2023-24 season.
The 36-year-old player shared the news in a video celebrating his 500 appearances for Juve that was posted on Juve’s YouTube channel earlier this week.
“When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era — a way of defending Italian style,” said Bonucci.
Leonardo Bonucci joined Juventus in 2010 in a transfer from Bari, and his arrival coincided with the start of lengthy dominance in Seria A for the Turin club. Bonucci would go on to help Juve win eight domestic titles, four Coppa Italia trophies, and finish runner-up in UEFA Champions League twice. He briefly departed the club in 2017–18 to play for Milan but ended up returning after just one year.
This season was a challenging one for Juventus, as they dealt with a number of scandals and even had 15 points deducted at one point. This is likely the reason why Bonucci wants to play another year and end his career on a better note.
Bonucci also played a significant part in the Italian national team. He made 120 appearances in international games, helped the nation win UEFA European Championship in 2020, and is currently serving as the team’s captain.
