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Record 36-time Serie A winners Juventus have enjoyed plenty of success since coming to life in 1897. The Bianconeri have always possessed a strong roster featuring some of the most renowned defenders, proficient midfielders, and fearsome forwards the world has ever seen.
Thanks to their youth system and strong performances in transfer windows, trophies have never been too few and far between. As a result, the biggest names have been easier to attain, which, in turn, has led to more silverware.
Picking five names throughout the course of the club’s history is not a straightforward task, especially considering the number of world class players that have plied their trade in Turin.
Today we are attempting to bring forward the best players in history that have featured for Juventus. These footballing greats may not necessarily be Juventus’s biggest and most impactful legends, but their individual quality as footballers remains grander than most. Now, with that thought in mind, let's check out the
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5 greatest players in history to play for Juventus
#5 Gianluigi Buffon (2001-2018; 2019-2021)
Juventus has seen many top keepers in its history, but very few have been half as instrumental as Gianluigi Buffon. The Italian shot-stopper was signed from Parma alongside team-mate Lilian Thuram in the summer of 2001 for €52 million. He was entrusted with the number 1 jersey right away and he never looked back.
His command inside the box, cat-like reflexes, and leadership skills already made him one of the best in history. However, it was his decision to stay with Juventus following the Calciopoli scandal that turned him into a Juve legend.
Buffon was chosen as the best goalkeeper in the league for a record 12 times and was dubbed the best goalkeeper of the last 25 years by IFFHS. Buffon made 685 appearances for Juventus, winning 10 Serie A titles.
#4 Alessandro Del Piero (1993-2012)
The sweetheart of Juventus, Alessandro Del Piero, was the amalgamation of everything Juventus and its supporters believed in. He wore his heart on his sleeve, was an exceptional leader on the pitch, and he knew just how to turn up on big occasions.
Del Piero signed for Juventus in 1993 and initially played for the reserves team. He settled in nicely with the reserves and helped them to the 1994 U-20 Championship. After initial uncertainty with the first team, he came on his own under new manager Marcelo Lippi, who gave him a more prominent role in attack.
Thanks to his 8-goal contribution, Juventus won the Serie A title in 1994-95, ending their 9-year drought in the league. He stuck with the club through thick and thin and went on to win 6 Serie A titles over the course of his Juventus career. He remains Juventus' highest goal-scorer with 290 goals in 705 matches across all competitions.
#3 Michel Platini (1982-1987)
Juventus signed Michel Platini in 1982 and straight away handed him the number 10 shirt of the then recently deceased Liam Brady. Despite being one of the best players to ever play the game, Platini had a hard time settling in at Juventus, especially due to the constant criticism hurled at him by the Italian media.
In the second half of the season, he regained his confidence and helped Juventus to the European Cup final — where they lost to Hamburger SV — and the Italian Cup. Platini finished as the top scorer of Serie A in three consecutive seasons between 1982 and 1984 and won three consecutive Ballons d’Or — between 1983 and 1985 — for his exploits.
After enjoying 5 successful seasons with Juventus, Platini hung up his boots in 1987, recording 103 goals in 222 appearances for the Bianconeri.
#2 Zinedine Zidane (1996-2001)
Bordeaux and France midfielder Zinedine Zidane signed for Juventus in the spring of 1996, breaking the hearts of many other suitors across Europe. The Ligue 1 player of the year did not take time to settle in; his impact in Serie A was immediate.
Thanks to Zidane’s intricate touches, heavenly movement, and composure to get out of even the stickiest situations, Juventus found themselves at the top of the Serie A table at the end of the 1996-97 season. For his immense contribution, Zidane was chosen as the best foreign footballer of the year in Serie A.
Zidane formed a telepathic connection with Del Piero, which helped Juventus retain their league title in the 1997-98 season. In the summer of 1998, Zidane led France to victory in the FIFA World Cup, which won him the Ballon d’Or the same year. Following a couple more impressive seasons with the Old Lady, Zidane left for Real Madrid in 2001.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (2018-present)
Cristiano Ronaldo cannot yet hold a candle to the impact some of the legends have made at Juventus. However, when it comes to sheer achievements and footballing pedigree in the grand scheme of things, Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the best player Juventus have had the privilege of fielding.
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, while plying his trade at Manchester United. Following his exploits at United, he joined Real Madrid in 2009. He won 4 more Ballons d’Or, 2 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League trophies. Concluding his 9-year spell at Real Madrid, he joined Juventus in the summer of 2018.
So far, Ronaldo has won two Serie A titles with the Bianconeri, registering 101 goals and 22 assists in 134 games across all competitions. Even at 36, he remains a force to be reckoned with and is the favorite to be the league’s top scorer for the second consecutive season this season.
