Juventus legend Bonucci announces retirement: “I’ll return to Italy”

Legendary Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci announced his retirement from football following a brief spell at Fenerbahce.

The 37-year-old had two memorable stints in Turin between 2010 and 2023, interrupted by a solitary campaign at Milan (2017/18).

The centre-back was at the heart of the iconic BBC defensive trio, lining up in between Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini.

However, Leo left Juventus on a sour note last summer. The management forced his exit after stripping him from the captaincy and freezing him out of the squad. This resulted in a legal dispute that was later settled.

The Euro 2020 hero started this campaign at Union Berlin but struggled to gain playing time with the struggling Germans.

Therefore, he made a January switch to Fenerbahce, which proved to be the final chapter of his playing career.

Bonucci has now announced his retirement, promising to reveal his new career path in the next few days.

“Tomorrow I will return to Italy happy after a long season and new stimulating experiences,” posted the defender in a story on his Instagram account via JuventusNews24.

“In the next few days, we will talk about the future. Thank you all for your warmth and affection.”

Some sources expect the fiery star to embark on a coaching career. Therefore, he could be set to register for the required courses at Coverciano to acquire a coaching license.