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Leonardo Bonucci

Bonucci with Italy in 2015

Personal information

Full name

Leonardo Bonucci

Date of birth

1 May 1987 (age 38)

Place of birth

Viterbo, Italy

Height

1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)

Position(s)

Centre-back

Youth career

2004–2005

Viterbese

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2005–2006

Viterbese

(0)

2005–2006

→ Inter Milan (loan)

(0)

2006–2009

Inter Milan

(0)

2007–2009

→ Treviso (loan)

(4)

2009

→ Pisa (loan)

(1)

2009

Genoa

(0)

2009–2010

Bari

(1)

2010–2017

Juventus

227

(15)

2017–2018

AC Milan

(2)

2018–2023

Juventus

130

(14)

2023–2024

Union Berlin

(1)

2024

Fenerbahçe

(0)

Total

504

(38)

International career

2010–2023

Italy

121

(8)

Managerial career

2024-

U20 Italy (assistant coach)

2025-

Italy (technical assistant)

Medal record

Men's Football

Representing Italy
UEFA European Championship
Winner	2020
Runner-up	2012
FIFA Confederations Cup
Third	2013
UEFA Nations League
Third	2021
Third	2023
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Runner-up	2022

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Leonardo Bonucci (born 1 May 1987) is an Italian former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender who plays in the middle of the field. Many people thought he was one of the best defenders of his time. He was known for his great technique, passing skills, and strong tackles. He could play well in different defensive setups.

Bonucci started his career with Inter Milan in 2005. He then played on loan for Treviso and Pisa. In 2009, he moved to Bari. His strong defending there helped him join Juventus the next year. At Juventus, he became a key part of a famous three-man defense with Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli. This trio was known as the "BBC".

With Juventus, he won six Serie A titles in a row from 2012 to 2017. He also played in two UEFA Champions League finals. In 2017, he moved to AC Milan for one season, then returned to Juventus, winning two more league titles.

For the Italian national team, Bonucci played over 120 games between 2010 and 2023. He played in two FIFA World Cups and three European Championships. He helped Italy win Euro 2020 and was a runner-up in Euro 2012. He also won a third-place medal at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Bonucci also received many individual awards for his great play. He was named to the UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season twice. He was also in the Serie A Team of the Year four times and was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2016. In May 2024, Bonucci announced he was retiring from professional football.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Inter Milan

Bonucci began his football journey in the youth teams of his hometown club, Viterbese. In 2005, he was loaned to Inter Milan. He played in some friendly matches for Inter's main team and was part of their Under-20 squad.

On 14 May 2006, Bonucci made his first appearance in Serie A, Italy's top league. This was in a match against Cagliari. Inter then bought him completely in July 2006. He also played in some Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) matches for Inter.

In January 2007, Inter sold half of Bonucci's player rights to Treviso. He stayed at Inter until June 2007 and helped their youth team win the national youth league title.

Time at Treviso and Pisa

On 1 July 2007, Bonucci officially became a player for Treviso. He played 27 games in Serie B, which is Italy's second division, and was a regular starter.

In June 2008, Inter bought him back from Treviso. However, he was loaned back to Treviso for another season. Bonucci played 13 Serie B matches for Treviso before moving to another Serie B team, Pisa, also on loan.

Playing for Bari

Bonucci playing for Bari in the 2009–10 season

In July 2009, Bonucci joined Bari in a shared ownership deal. At Bari, he quickly became a key central defender under coach Gian Piero Ventura. He formed a very strong defensive partnership with Andrea Ranocchia. Their defense was so good that Bari had one of the best defensive records in Serie A during the 2009–10 season. This strong partnership ended when Ranocchia got injured.

Success with Juventus

On 1 July 2010, Bonucci signed a four-year contract with Juventus. He immediately became a starter, often playing alongside his Italian teammate Giorgio Chiellini. He made his first appearance for Juventus in a Europa League match and scored his first goal for the club in another Europa League game.

In his second season, Juventus's new coach, Antonio Conte, decided to play with three defenders. Bonucci became a regular starter alongside Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli. This three-man defense became known as the "BBC" (Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini). They quickly became one of the best defenses in the world. In April 2012, Bonucci signed a new five-year contract. He won his first major title, the 2011–12 Scudetto (Serie A title), with Juventus. The team finished the season without losing a single game and had one of the best defensive records in Europe.

Bonucci playing for Juventus in 2014

Bonucci continued to win titles with Juventus, including the Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup) and more Serie A titles. He played his 200th game for Juventus in January 2015. In June 2015, he started for Juventus in the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final, but they lost to Barcelona. He played the most games for Juventus that season.

In December 2016, Bonucci signed a new contract with Juventus until 2021. He made his 300th appearance for Juventus in February 2017. He also helped Juventus win the 2016–17 Coppa Italia final. In June 2017, he played in his second Champions League Final, but Juventus lost to Real Madrid.

Moving to AC Milan

On 14 July 2017, Bonucci joined AC Milan on a five-year contract. He was named one of the top three defenders for the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League season. Milan's manager, Vincenzo Montella, made Bonucci the team's new captain. In October, he was named to the 2017 FIFA FIFPro World11, which is a team of the best players in the world. He scored his first goal for Milan in January 2018.

Returning to Juventus

Bonucci, here captaining Juventus, celebrating with his teammates in 2021

On 2 August 2018, Bonucci returned to Juventus. He signed a five-year contract. He played his first game back for Juventus on 18 August. In September 2018, he scored his first goal for Juventus since his return. In October, he played his 50th UEFA Champions League game.

In April 2019, Bonucci played his 250th Serie A game for Juventus and scored a goal. After this match, he faced some criticism for comments he made about a teammate, Moise Kean, who experienced racist abuse from fans. Bonucci later clarified his words, saying he strongly condemns all forms of racism.

After Giorgio Chiellini was injured in 2019, Bonucci became the captain of Juventus. He signed a new contract with the club in November 2019. He continued to score important goals for Juventus, including his first two-goal game in November 2021.

Bonucci was named Juventus's new captain for the 2022–23 season. In May 2023, he reached 500 appearances for the club, becoming only the sixth player in Juventus history to do so. He announced that he would retire when his contract ended in 2024. However, in July 2023, Juventus told him he was no longer part of their plans.

Time at Union Berlin

On 1 September 2023, Bonucci signed with the German club Union Berlin. He made his debut for the club on 20 September in a Champions League match, which was also Union Berlin's first-ever game in that competition. He scored his first goal for Union Berlin in October from a penalty kick. He left the club in January 2024.

Playing for Fenerbahçe and Retirement

On 11 January 2024, the Turkish club Fenerbahçe officially announced they had signed Bonucci until the end of the 2023–24 season. He made his debut for Fenerbahçe on 14 January 2024.

On 25 May 2024, Fenerbahçe announced that Bonucci would retire from professional football. The next day, Bonucci played his final professional match, saying goodbye to fans on the field.

International Career

Early Years with Italy

Bonucci made his debut for the Italy senior team on 3 March 2010. This was in a friendly match against Cameroon. He was one of the few players to make his senior debut without having played for Italy's youth teams.

He was chosen for Italy's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal on 3 June 2010 in a friendly match against Mexico. In the World Cup, he did not play in any matches as Italy was eliminated early.

After the World Cup, under new coach Cesare Prandelli, Bonucci became a regular starter for Italy, often playing alongside his Juventus teammate Chiellini. He was part of the Italy squad for UEFA Euro 2012, where Italy reached the final but lost to Spain.

In the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, Italy finished in third place. Bonucci was also selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He made his World Cup debut in a match against Uruguay, but Italy was eliminated in the first round again.

Euro 2016 and World Cup Qualification

Under new Italy manager Antonio Conte, Bonucci wore the captain's armband for Italy for the first time in September 2014. He was part of Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2016. In the opening group match against Belgium, he made a great long pass that led to Italy's first goal. He was praised for his strong defensive performances alongside Chiellini and Barzagli. In the quarter-final against Germany, he scored Italy's equalizing goal from a penalty kick.

Italy did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup after losing to Sweden in a play-off match.

Euro 2020 Victory

Bonucci (right) and President of Italy Sergio Mattarella (left) shaking hands following Italy's UEFA Euro 2020 win

In October 2019, Bonucci played his 92nd international game, passing Alessandro Del Piero to become one of Italy's most-capped players. This victory helped Italy qualify for UEFA Euro 2020. In March 2021, Bonucci made his 100th appearance for Italy.

In June 2021, Bonucci was included in Italy's squad for Euro 2020. He served as a temporary captain during the tournament when Giorgio Chiellini was injured. On 6 July, in the semi-final against Spain, he scored a penalty in the shootout that sent Italy to the final. On 11 July, Bonucci helped Italy win the European Championship by defeating England in a penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium. Bonucci scored Italy's only goal in the game, making him the oldest player to score in a European Championship final at 34 years old. He was named "Star of the Match" for his performance in the final and was also included in the team of the tournament.

Captaincy and Retirement from International Play

On 23 September 2022, Bonucci became the captain of the Italian national team after Chiellini retired from international football. He played his final international game in June 2023 in a Nations League semi-final against Spain.

Even though he joined Fenerbahçe in January 2024, Bonucci was not called up to the national team for UEFA Euro 2024. He then announced his retirement from professional football in May 2024. In total, he played 121 games for Italy and scored eight goals.

Playing Style

Bonucci used to be a midfielder, but he became a centre-back. He was known for his excellent technique and his ability to make long passes to start attacks from the back. Even though he wasn't the fastest, he was tall, strong, and good at reading the game. He was also good in the air and could score goals from set pieces.

When he was younger, some people thought he was inconsistent and made mistakes. These mistakes were even given a nickname in Italy, "Bonucciate." However, he improved a lot and became one of the best defenders in the world. Famous coach Pep Guardiola even called Bonucci one of his "favorite players."

In 2016, a sports writer named Mario Sconcerti said Bonucci was among the greatest Italian defenders ever. His unique style led some to compare him to legendary players like Gaetano Scirea and Franz Beckenbauer.

Besides his defending and passing skills, Bonucci was also praised for his leadership. The defensive trio of Barzagli, Bonucci, and Chiellini, known as the "BBC," was considered one of the best in football history.

Coaching Career

In October 2024, Bonucci began his coaching career. He became an assistant coach for the Italy Under-20 national team.

Personal Life

On 18 June 2011, Bonucci married Martina Maccari. They have two sons, Lorenzo and Matteo, and one daughter, Matilda. Interestingly, even though Bonucci played for Juventus for many years, his oldest son, Lorenzo, supports Juventus's city rivals, Torino.

In July 2016, Bonucci's youngest son, Matteo, had emergency surgery due to a serious illness. Bonucci shared that his son's illness made him think about quitting football. He said that for a while, football was not his main focus because he was so worried about his son. Matteo is much better now, and Bonucci said his family feels stronger than ever.

Bonucci's older brother, Riccardo, also played football as a defender. Their father owns a paint shop.

In May 2012, Bonucci faced questions about a game from his time with Bari. He was accused of helping to fix the result of a match. Bonucci denied doing anything wrong, and he was later cleared of all charges in August of that year.

In October 2012, Bonucci and his family had a scary experience when they were confronted by a robber. Bonucci reacted quickly and chased the robber away.

Bonucci is also an activist against bullying. In December 2017, he appeared in a music video that dealt with the topic of bullying. In October 2019, he co-wrote a book called "Il mio amico Leo" (My friend Leo). The book was partly inspired by his own experiences and aims to help young people who are victims of bullying.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Inter Milan (loan)	2005–06	Serie A	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Inter Milan	2006–07	Serie A	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Inter Milan	Total		1	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Treviso (loan)	2007–08	Serie B	27	2	0	0	—		—		27	2
	2008–09	Serie B	13	2	1	0	—		—		14	2
	Total		40	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	41	4
Pisa (loan)	2008–09	Serie B	18	1	0	0	—		—		18	1
Bari	2009–10	Serie A	38	1	1	0	—		—		39	1
Juventus	2010–11	Serie A	34	2	2	0	8	1	—		44	3
	2011–12	Serie A	32	2	5	0	—		—		37	2
	2012–13	Serie A	33	0	4	0	10	1	1	0	48	1
	2013–14	Serie A	29	2	1	0	13	1	1	0	44	3
	2014–15	Serie A	34	3	4	1	13	0	1	0	52	4
	2015–16	Serie A	36	3	4	0	8	0	1	0	49	3
	2016–17	Serie A	29	3	5	1	11	1	0	0	45	5
	Total		227	15	25	2	63	4	4	0	319	21
AC Milan	2017–18	Serie A	35	2	5	0	11	0	—		51	2
Juventus	2018–19	Serie A	29	3	1	0	10	0	1	0	41	3
	2019–20	Serie A	35	3	4	1	7	0	1	0	47	4
	2020–21	Serie A	26	2	2	0	6	0	1	0	35	2
	2021–22	Serie A	24	5	3	0	7	0	0	0	34	5
	2022–23	Serie A	16	1	1	0	9	1	—		26	2
	Total		130	14	11	1	39	1	3	0	183	16
Union Berlin	2023–24	Bundesliga	7	1	0	0	3	0	—		10	1
Fenerbahçe	2023–24	Süper Lig	8	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	13	0
Career total			504	38	49	3	118	5	7	0	678	46

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Italy	2010	8	2
	2011	5	0
	2012	11	0
	2013	11	0
	2014	8	1
	2015	10	0
	2016	14	1
	2017	8	1
	2018	10	1
	2019	10	1
	2020	4	0
	2021	15	1
	2022	6	0
	2023	1	0
Total		121	8

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bonucci goal.

List of international goals scored by Leonardo Bonucci
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	3 June 2010	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Mexico	1–2	1–2	Friendly
2	3 September 2010	A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia	Estonia	2–1	2–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
3	9 September 2014	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway	Norway	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
4	2 July 2016	Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France	Germany	1–1	1–1 (aet) (5–6 p)	UEFA Euro 2016
5	28 March 2017	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	2–1	2–1	Friendly
6	1 June 2018	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	France	1–2	1–3	Friendly
7	8 June 2019	Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece	Greece	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
8	11 July 2021	Wembley Stadium, London, England	England	1–1	1–1 (aet) (3–2 p)	UEFA Euro 2020 final