Leonardo Bonucci
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Bonucci with Italy in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Leonardo Bonucci[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1 May 1987[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Viterbo, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Italy (technical assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Viterbese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Viterbese | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | → Inter Milan (loan) | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Inter Milan | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | → Treviso (loan) | 40 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | → Pisa (loan) | 18 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Genoa | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Bari | 38 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2017 | Juventus | 227 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | AC Milan | 35 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Juventus | 130 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Union Berlin | 7 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Fenerbahçe | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 504 | (38) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2023 | Italy | 121 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024- | U20 Italy (assistant coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025- | Italy (technical assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leonardo Bonucci Cavaliere OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [leoˈnardo boˈnuttʃi]; born 1 May 1987) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.[4][5][6] Considered one of the best defenders of his generation, he was known for his technique, ball-playing skills, tackling and his ability to play in either a three or four-man defence.[7][8]
After beginning his career with Inter Milan in 2005, Bonucci spent the next few seasons on loan at Treviso and Pisa, before moving to Bari in 2009. His defensive performances alongside fellow Italian centre-back Andrea Ranocchia earned him a move to Juventus the following season, where he later became a key member of the club's three-man defensive line, alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli, establishing himself as one of the best defenders in world football. Among other titles, he went on to win six consecutive Serie A titles with the team between 2012 and 2017, having also played two UEFA Champions League finals in 2015 and 2017. In 2017, he moved to AC Milan, and one season later returned to Juventus, winning two more consecutive league titles.
At the international level, Bonucci earned over 120 caps between his senior debut in 2010 and 2023, representing Italy at two FIFA World Cups (2010 and 2014), three European Championships, (2012, 2016, and 2020), and a FIFA Confederations Cup (2013); he won Euro 2020, earned a runners-up medal at Euro 2012, and claimed a third-place medal at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Bonucci also won several individual honours for his performances: he was named to the UEFA Europa League Squad of the season during the 2013–14 and 2017–18 seasons, and was a four-time member of the Serie A Team of the Year. He was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2016, and was also included in the UEFA Team of the Year in the same season. In 2017 and 2021, Bonucci was included in the FIFA FIFPro World11 and the IFFHS Men's World Team. He was also selected to the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League Team of the Season and the 2016–17 ESM Team of the Year. In May 2024, Bonucci announced his retirement from professional football.
- ^ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players: Italy" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 14 July 2014. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
figcwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Leonardo Bonucci". Fenerbahçe S.K. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "The 11 best defenders in the world". FourFourTwo. 18 December 2015.
- ^ "For the love of defending! – Five of the best Italian defenders of modern times". The Football Faithful. 20 August 2021.
- ^ "For the love of defending! – Five of the best Italian defenders of modern times". The Football Faithful. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ Lopresti, Sam (17 September 2013). "Serie A: The League's 20 Best Defenders of the Past 25 Years". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ Sargeant, Jack (1 June 2017). "An homage to Leonardo Bonucci". SB Nation. Retrieved 13 March 2023.