Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has announced that he will retire from football at the end of next season.
The 36-year-old, who has enjoyed a trophy-laden career both with club and country, announced the news by saying "it will be the end of a defensive era".
Bonucci crowned a glittering career by winning the European Championship with Italy in 2021, a tournament which ended up being the last time he partnered fellow great Giorgio Chiellini in central defence on the big stage.
After scoring the equalising goal in the final against England in the final at Wembley and claiming the man of the match award, Bonucci also kept his nerve to score in the penalty shootout, which Italy won 3-2.
On top of that success with the Azzurri, Bonucci has been part of the Juventus side which dominated Italian football for a decade, winning eight Serie A titles and four Coppa Italia crowns, as well as leading the Old Lady to two Champions League finals.
Speaking to Juve's official Youtube channel to announce the news, Bonucci said: "When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era, a way of defending Italian style."
Following the international retirement of Fabio Cannavaro in 2010, Bonucci instantly became a regular for the national side, and helped Italy to the Euro 2012 final in his first major tournament as a starter, before making 120 appearances for the Azzurri.
With over 500 appearances to his name at Juve, Bonucci has not featured much this year in what has been a tumultuous season for the club, but with Champions League qualification still within reach, the defender may still have one chance at bringing European glory back to Turin in his final season.
Andrew Delaney
