Juventus First-Team Squad
Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus are captained by Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli and inspired by rising star Kenan Yıldız, top scorer with 10 league goals. Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović leads the line alongside Jonathan David, with Michele Di Gregorio a commanding presence in goal for the Bianconeri.
Squad correct as of the summer 2026 window, which runs until 1 September — numbers and personnel may change. Follow every Juventus fixture and prediction at AI Pro Prediction and our Europa League predictions hub.
Juventus: A Complete Guide to the Bianconeri
Origins and Identity
Juventus Football Club was founded on 1 November 1897 by a group of young students in the northern Italian city of Turin, making it one of the oldest clubs in Italy. The name “Juventus” derives from the Latin word for “youth”. Since 1923 the club has been owned by the Agnelli family, the industrialists behind the Fiat automobile empire, a relationship that has made Juventus the most powerful, wealthy and successful institution in the history of Italian football.
Juventus adopted their iconic black-and-white striped shirts in 1903, inspired by English side Notts County, giving rise to the nickname Bianconeri (the black and whites). The club is also affectionately known as La Vecchia Signora — “The Old Lady” — a term of endearment reflecting its history and prestige. Juventus play their home matches at the Allianz Stadium (the Juventus Stadium), a modern, club-owned arena that opened in 2011 and generates one of the most intimidating atmospheres in Serie A.
The City of Turin and the Old Lady
Juventus are inextricably linked with the northern Italian city of Turin, the historic capital of the Piedmont region and a centre of Italian industry. The club’s deep connection to the Agnelli family and their Fiat empire, headquartered in Turin, has made Juventus a symbol of the city’s industrial heritage and economic power. Yet Juventus’s support extends far beyond Turin, drawing millions of fans from across Italy, particularly from the south, giving the club a truly national following unmatched by any other Italian side.
The nickname ‘La Vecchia Signora’ — the Old Lady — is a term of deep affection that reflects the club’s history, prestige and enduring presence at the pinnacle of the Italian game. The name captures the reverence in which Juventus are held, an institution steeped in tradition and success. Over the decades, the black-and-white stripes have become one of the most iconic and recognisable sights in world football, synonymous with a winning heritage that few clubs anywhere can rival.
This combination of industrial roots, national support and historic prestige gives Juventus a unique place in the landscape of Italian football. The club represents not just a city but a way of doing things — professional, ambitious and relentlessly focused on success — that has made the Bianconeri the standard-bearers of Calcio for the best part of a century and one of the most storied institutions in the history of the global game.
The Most Successful Club in Italian History
No club has dominated Italian football like Juventus. The Bianconeri have won a record number of Serie A titles — 36 Scudetti — far more than any other club, a reflection of their sustained excellence across more than a century. No other club in Italy comes close to matching this record of domestic dominance, and it stands as the clearest measure of Juventus’s enduring supremacy at the very top of Calcio. This includes an unprecedented run of nine consecutive Serie A titles between 2011–12 and 2019–20, one of the most dominant sustained periods any club has enjoyed in a major European league.
Juventus also hold the record for the most Coppa Italia triumphs, having lifted the Italian cup on numerous occasions, along with a host of Supercoppa Italiana titles. This domestic dominance has made the black and white stripes synonymous with winning, and has cultivated a vast fanbase that extends across Italy and around the globe, making Juventus the most supported club in the country.
The Trapattoni and Platini Golden Age
Juventus’s status as an Italian and European superpower was cemented during a golden age in the late 1970s and 1980s under the legendary coach Giovanni Trapattoni. His Juventus dominated Serie A, winning six league titles across the decade, and finally conquered Europe. The side was built around Italian internationals such as Dino Zoff, Gaetano Scirea, Antonio Cabrini and Paolo Rossi, the hero of Italy’s 1982 World Cup triumph, many of whom formed the backbone of the national team.
The arrival of the French genius Michel Platini in 1982 elevated the side to greatness. Platini, a three-time Ballon d’Or winner during his time in Turin, was one of the finest players in the world, and his brilliance drove Juventus to the pinnacle of the European game. Under Trapattoni, Juventus became the first club in history to win all three of the major UEFA competitions — the European Cup, the Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Cup — a landmark achievement that underlined the club’s supremacy and versatility on the continental stage.
The Lippi Era and the 1996 Triumph
After a period of transition, Juventus returned to the summit of European football in the mid-1990s under Marcello Lippi. Inspired by a golden generation featuring Alessandro Del Piero, Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Gianluca Vialli, Lippi’s side won the Champions League in 1996, defeating Ajax on penalties in the final. That team dominated Italian football and reached three consecutive Champions League finals between 1996 and 1998, establishing itself as one of the finest sides in Europe.
The Lippi era produced some of the most cherished memories in the club’s modern history and introduced a generation of players who would become Juventus legends. Though the side lost the finals of 1997 and 1998, their sustained excellence at the highest level of European football reaffirmed Juventus’s status as one of the continent’s genuine giants, capable of competing with and beating anyone on their day.
Domestic Cup Dominance
Beyond their record Serie A haul, Juventus are also the most successful club in the history of the Coppa Italia, Italy’s premier knockout cup competition, having lifted the trophy a record number of times. This cup pedigree, combined with a record number of Supercoppa Italiana triumphs, means Juventus dominate the honours lists across every major domestic competition in Italian football, a testament to more than a century of sustained excellence.
The club’s ability to compete for and win silverware across all fronts is central to its identity. Even during the recent, more challenging seasons in Serie A, Juventus have remained a force in the cup competitions, and the pursuit of domestic trophies remains an important objective alongside the quest to reclaim the Scudetto and to compete in Europe. This relentless drive for honours in every competition is fundamental to what it means to be Juventus.
The Allianz Stadium: A Modern Fortress
A defining moment in Juventus’s modern history was the opening of the Juventus Stadium, now known as the Allianz Stadium, in 2011. It was the first modern, club-owned stadium in Italy, a pioneering move that gave Juventus a significant commercial and competitive advantage over rivals who continued to play in council-owned grounds. The intimate, atmospheric arena, with a capacity of around 41,000, brings supporters close to the action and generates a fervent atmosphere on matchdays.
The stadium has become a genuine fortress for the Bianconeri, the stage for countless memorable victories during the nine-year title-winning dynasty and beyond. Its construction reflected the club’s forward-thinking approach and its ambition to compete at the highest level both on and off the pitch, and it remains a symbol of the modern, professional identity that defines Juventus in the twenty-first century.
European Glory and Heartbreak
On the European stage, Juventus have enjoyed great triumphs while also enduring some of the sport’s most agonising near-misses. The club has won the European Cup / Champions League twice, in 1985 and 1996. The 1985 victory was overshadowed by the tragic Heysel disaster, while the 1996 triumph, secured on penalties against Ajax under Marcello Lippi, represented the pinnacle of a golden generation featuring Alessandro Del Piero, Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps.
Juventus hold the unwanted record of losing the most Champions League finals, having finished runners-up on seven occasions — including painful defeats in 2015 to Barcelona and 2017 to Real Madrid during their period of domestic dominance. Uniquely, Juventus are the only club to have won all three major UEFA competitions — the Champions League, the Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup) and the Cup Winners’ Cup — as well as the Intercontinental Cup, cementing their status as European royalty.
Full Honours and Achievements
Juventus possess one of the most decorated trophy cabinets in the history of the sport:
- Serie A: A record 36 Italian championships, including nine in a row from 2012 to 2020.
- Coppa Italia: A record number of Italian cup triumphs.
- Supercoppa Italiana: Winners on numerous occasions.
- UEFA Champions League: Two-time winners (1985, 1996), runners-up seven times.
- UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup: Three-time winners.
- UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: Winners in 1984.
- Intercontinental Cup / UEFA Super Cup: Multiple triumphs, crowning them world and European champions.
This remarkable collection makes Juventus the most successful club in Italian football and one of the most decorated on the continent, a genuine institution whose history is intertwined with the very story of the Italian game.
Calciopoli and the Road Back
The most turbulent chapter in Juventus’s history came in 2006 with the Calciopoli scandal, a controversy over alleged influence on refereeing appointments that resulted in the club being stripped of two Serie A titles and relegated to Serie B — the only relegation in the club’s history. It was a devastating blow to the most successful club in Italian football, and one that the club and its supporters have always fiercely contested.
Yet the response of the club and its loyal players demonstrated the strength of the Juventus spirit. Stars such as Del Piero, Buffon, Nedvěd and Trezeguet chose to remain and help the club win promotion straight back to Serie A at the first attempt. This period of adversity forged a renewed determination that would ultimately fuel the club’s greatest era of domestic dominance, and the resilience shown during those difficult years remains a source of enormous pride for the Bianconeri faithful.
The Nine-in-a-Row Dynasty
The greatest era of domestic dominance in Italian football history belongs to Juventus. Between 2011–12 and 2019–20, the Bianconeri won an unprecedented nine consecutive Serie A titles, a record that may never be matched in the modern game. Under coaches Antonio Conte and then Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus reasserted their supremacy over Italian football with a ruthless winning machine built on defensive solidity and tactical excellence.
The dynasty was anchored by the legendary defensive trio of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, allied to the goals and creativity of a succession of star players. During this period, Juventus also reached two Champions League finals, in 2015 and 2017, coming agonisingly close to the European crown. The 2018 signing of Cristiano Ronaldo represented the ultimate statement of the club’s ambition, and though the elusive third European title remained just out of reach, the era confirmed Juventus as the undisputed dominant force in Italian football for the best part of a decade.
Legendary Players Through the Ages
The Agnelli Legacy and Club Structure
Central to Juventus’s enduring success is the stewardship of the Agnelli family, whose association with the club stretches back to 1923 — the longest ownership relationship in world football. This stability, backed by the resources of one of Italy’s most powerful industrial dynasties, has allowed Juventus to attract the finest players and coaches and to invest in world-class facilities, including their pioneering club-owned stadium, the first of its kind in Italy when it opened in 2011.
Juventus also boast one of the largest and most passionate fanbases in the world, with the Bianconeri commanding the loyalty of supporters across Italy and internationally. The club’s professional, winning culture — encapsulated in the motto that stresses winning is the only thing that matters — has been passed down through generations, creating an institution defined by its relentless pursuit of glory.
Juventus have been home to some of the greatest footballers ever to play the game. Alessandro Del Piero, the club’s all-time top scorer and a one-club icon, remains the ultimate symbol of Juventus loyalty and elegance. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, widely considered one of the finest of all time, gave two decades of service. The pantheon of Juventus greats also includes Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Baggio, Pavel Nedvěd, Giorgio Chiellini and Paolo Rossi, hero of Italy’s 1982 World Cup triumph.
In more recent times, global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo spent three seasons in Turin, adding his goals and glamour to the Bianconeri story. Today, the club’s hopes rest on a new generation, spearheaded by the exciting Turkish talent Kenan Yıldız — who has inherited Del Piero’s famous number 10 shirt — alongside captain Manuel Locatelli and Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović.
The Current Generation
As Juventus look to rebuild and return to the summit, the club’s hopes rest on a blend of emerging talent and proven quality. At the forefront is Kenan Yıldız, the exciting young Turkish forward who has inherited Del Piero’s iconic number 10 shirt and led the team in scoring, marking himself out as a potential cornerstone of the club’s future. His flair, technical ability and eye for goal have made him one of the most promising talents in Serie A and a symbol of hope for the Bianconeri faithful.
Captain Manuel Locatelli, a combative and intelligent midfielder, provides leadership and quality in the engine room, while Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović offers a genuine goalscoring threat up front. The arrival of the prolific forward Loïs Openda added further firepower to the attacking options, giving Spalletti a squad with the tools to compete on multiple fronts. The challenge for the coach is to mould these players into a cohesive, winning unit capable of restoring Juventus to the levels of success the club and its supporters demand.
The strength of the squad, combined with Spalletti’s tactical acumen and the winning culture ingrained in the club, gives Juventus genuine reason for optimism. While the recent seasons have fallen short of the club’s exacting standards, the raw materials are in place for a revival, and the Bianconeri will be determined to prove that they remain a force to be reckoned with in Italian and European football.
Fino alla Fine: The Winning Spirit
The phrase ‘Fino alla Fine’ — ‘Until the End’ — has become a rallying cry that captures the essence of Juventus. It speaks to the relentless determination, the refusal to give up and the winning mentality that have defined the club throughout its history. This spirit was evident in the response to the Calciopoli relegation, in the nine-year title-winning dynasty and in the countless dramatic victories the club has produced across more than a century of competition.
For the Juventus supporters, this winning culture is a fundamental part of the club’s identity and a source of enormous pride. The Bianconeri are not merely expected to compete; they are expected to win, and this demand for success drives everything the club does. As Juventus embark on a new era under Luciano Spalletti, seeking to reclaim their place at the summit of Italian and European football, that indomitable spirit — Fino alla Fine — remains the club’s greatest and most enduring asset.
The Derby d’Italia and Rivalries
Juventus’s fiercest rivalry is with Internazionale, contested in the Derby d’Italia — a term coined to describe the clashes between Italy’s two most successful and geographically prominent clubs, who for decades were the only two never to have been relegated. Matches between Juventus and Inter are laden with history, controversy and drama, and routinely have a decisive bearing on the destiny of the Scudetto.
The club also contests the passionate Derby della Mole with city rivals Torino, and enjoys intense rivalries with the likes of AC Milan, Napoli, Roma and Fiorentina. These fixtures, played out in front of the club’s fervent Curva support, are among the most anticipated occasions of the Italian football calendar and add colour and intensity to every Juventus season.
Juventus Season-by-Season: Recent Serie A Record
The table below charts Juventus’s Serie A finishes across recent seasons, illustrating a period of transition for the Bianconeri following the end of their nine-year title-winning dynasty. After winning the Scudetto in 2019–20, the club has navigated a challenging era of rebuilding, managerial change and a return to the Champions League places, before a sixth-placed finish in 2025–26 that secured Europa League qualification.
| Season | Serie A Position | Head Coach | European Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | 6th | Igor Tudor / Spalletti | Europa League |
| 2024–25 | 4th | Thiago Motta / Tudor | Champions League |
| 2023–24 | 3rd | Massimiliano Allegri | Champions League |
| 2022–23 | 7th | Massimiliano Allegri | — |
| 2021–22 | 4th | Massimiliano Allegri | Champions League |
| 2020–21 | 4th | Andrea Pirlo | Champions League |
| 2019–20 | 1st (Champions) | Maurizio Sarri | Champions League |
As the data reflects, Juventus have not won the Serie A title since 2019–20, a barren spell by the club’s own exacting standards. The appointment of Luciano Spalletti, a proven Scudetto-winning coach, represents the latest attempt to restore the club to the summit of Italian football, with the 2026–27 Europa League campaign offering both a route to silverware and a return to the Champions League.
Juventus in the European Cup and Champions League
Juventus’s record in Europe’s premier competition is one of glory tinged with heartbreak. The club has won the trophy twice but holds the unwanted record of the most final defeats, having finished runners-up on seven occasions. This remarkable record of reaching finals — nine in total — underlines Juventus’s pedigree as one of the continent’s most consistent forces, even as the ultimate prize has often eluded them.
| Season | Competition | Result | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | European Cup | Winners | Liverpool |
| 1995–96 | Champions League | Winners | Ajax |
| 1972–73 | European Cup | Runners-up | Ajax |
| 1982–83 | European Cup | Runners-up | Hamburg |
| 1996–97 | Champions League | Runners-up | Borussia Dortmund |
| 1997–98 | Champions League | Runners-up | Real Madrid |
| 2002–03 | Champions League | Runners-up | AC Milan |
| 2014–15 | Champions League | Runners-up | Barcelona |
| 2016–17 | Champions League | Runners-up | Real Madrid |
The two triumphs, in 1985 and 1996, are cherished landmarks in the club’s history, while the seven final defeats — including painful losses to Barcelona in 2015 and Real Madrid in 2017 during their domestic dominance — reflect both the club’s ability to reach the biggest stage and the fine margins that have denied them further European glory. Adding a third European crown remains one of the club’s greatest ambitions. Each European campaign is approached with the belief that the elusive third star can finally be claimed, and the Champions League continues to represent the one significant gap in an otherwise unrivalled trophy cabinet. For a club of Juventus’s history and stature, conquering Europe once more would represent the crowning achievement of any era and the fulfilment of a long-held dream shared by generations of Bianconeri supporters.
Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluigi Buffon: Eternal Icons
Two men stand above almost all others in the pantheon of modern Juventus legends. Alessandro Del Piero, the club’s all-time top scorer, spent 19 seasons in the black and white, remaining loyal even through the Serie B years following Calciopoli. A player of exquisite technique, vision and finishing, Del Piero embodied the values of the club and became its eternal captain and symbol, revered by generations of Bianconeri supporters as the ultimate one-club hero.
Gianluigi Buffon, widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of football, gave Juventus two decades of extraordinary service across two spells. His longevity, leadership and world-class ability made him a cornerstone of the club’s greatest Teams, and his decision to drop into Serie B with the club in 2006 rather than join a rival cemented his status as a Juventus legend. Together, Del Piero and Buffon represent the loyalty, class and winning mentality that define what it means to play for Juventus.
The Bianconeri Youth System
Juventus have a proud tradition of developing young talent through their academy and youth structure, producing players who have gone on to represent the club and the Italian national team at the highest level. In recent years, the club established a reserve side competing in the professional Italian leagues, a pioneering move designed to bridge the gap between youth and first-team football and to give promising young players valuable competitive experience.
This focus on youth development reflects the club’s long-term vision and its desire to blend home-grown talent with elite signings. The emergence of exciting young players such as Kenan Yıldız, who has inherited the iconic number 10 shirt once worn by Del Piero, demonstrates the continued importance of the youth pathway to the club’s future, offering hope of a new generation of Bianconeri heroes.
A Global Institution
Juventus command one of the largest and most passionate fanbases in Italy and boast an enormous global following that extends across every continent. The club’s sustained success, its glamour and its status as the most decorated institution in Italian football have made the black-and-white stripes recognisable around the world. Juventus are consistently ranked among the most valuable and widely supported football clubs on the planet, a reflection of their history, their star players and their global appeal.
The club’s modern, forward-thinking approach to its brand and commercial operations, combined with its move to a pioneering club-owned stadium, has positioned Juventus at the forefront of the business of football. Yet at its heart, the club remains rooted in the winning mentality and the values instilled over a century of success under the Agnelli family, a combination of tradition and ambition that continues to define one of the true giants of the global game.
Playing Philosophy and Identity
Juventus have historically been associated with a pragmatic, results-oriented style of football, epitomised by the Italian concept of achieving victory through tactical intelligence, defensive organisation and clinical efficiency. The club’s famous winning culture prizes success above all else, a mentality passed down through generations of legendary teams and encapsulated in the demanding standards the club sets itself in every competition.
Under Luciano Spalletti, one of the most respected tactical minds in Italian football, Juventus aim to blend this traditional resilience with a more expansive, attacking approach suited to the modern game. The coach’s Scudetto-winning pedigree and his ability to organise cohesive, competitive teams make him well suited to the challenge of restoring Juventus to the summit, and his project represents an exciting new chapter for a club determined to reassert its dominance.
Juventus Women: A Dominant Force
Juventus’s pursuit of excellence extends to the women’s game. Since its establishment, the Juventus Women’s team has become one of the most dominant forces in Italian women’s football, sweeping domestic titles and competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The success of the women’s team reflects the club’s commitment to excellence across all areas and its ambition to lead the development of the women’s game in Italy, adding another dimension to the club’s storied identity.
This investment in the women’s game, mirroring the club’s professional standards and winning culture, has helped establish Juventus as a leader in Italian football beyond the men’s first team. The achievements of the women’s side have brought further pride and success to the Bianconeri, reinforcing the scale and ambition of Juventus as a modern, multi-faceted sporting institution.
The 2026–27 Europa League Campaign
For the 2026–27 season, Juventus will compete in the UEFA Europa League, a competition the club has won on three previous occasions in its former guise as the UEFA Cup. While a club of Juventus’s stature would always prefer to be competing in the Champions League, the Europa League offers a genuine opportunity to win silverware and, crucially, a route back to the Champions League for the following season for the winners. Juventus will start the competition among the strong favourites.
The Europa League also provides Luciano Spalletti with a valuable stage on which to build momentum and instil his methods, giving the squad the experience of competitive European football as the club seeks to rebuild and return to the elite. For the Bianconeri faithful, European nights at the Allianz Stadium are always cherished occasions, and a deep run in the competition, ideally culminating in the trophy, would represent a significant and welcome success in what is a pivotal season for the club.
The 2025–26 Season and the Spalletti Era
The 2025–26 season was a challenging one for Juventus as they navigated a period of rebuilding. Experienced coach Luciano Spalletti, the Scudetto-winning former Napoli and Italy manager, took charge during the season and later signed a new two-year deal to lead the club’s project. Despite his tactical acumen, Juventus endured an inconsistent campaign and ultimately finished sixth in Serie A, securing qualification for the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League.
While a sixth-placed finish falls well below the lofty standards the club sets itself, it offers Spalletti a platform to rebuild and a route back to the European elite. Young star Kenan Yıldız was among the brighter sparks of the season, leading the team in scoring and offering hope for the future, while the arrival of prolific striker Loïs Openda strengthened the attacking options. For all the latest Juventus match previews, team news and score forecasts, follow our Europa League match predictions throughout the season.
Looking Ahead
As Juventus enter the 2026–27 season, the mission is clear: to win the Europa League, to return to the Champions League through a top-four finish in Serie A, and to restore the Old Lady to the position of dominance that her history demands. With Luciano Spalletti able to shape his squad across a full pre-season, the emerging brilliance of Kenan Yıldız, the leadership of Manuel Locatelli and the goals of Dušan Vlahović and Loïs Openda, Juventus have the foundations to mount a strong recovery. For the most successful club in Italian football history — 36 Scudetti and two European crowns — a swift return to the summit is the only acceptable outcome, and the Bianconeri will be determined to reassert their status among the giants of the European game. With a proud history unmatched in Italy, a fanatical global support and a squad blending emerging talent with proven quality, Juventus have every reason to believe that their return to the top of the domestic and continental game is a matter of when, not if. The club’s history is one of overcoming adversity and reasserting its dominance, from the aftermath of Calciopoli to the nine-year dynasty that followed, and there is a deep conviction among supporters that the current period of transition will give way to renewed success. With Spalletti’s tactical intelligence, a talented and hungry squad, and the unmatched resources and winning culture that have always defined the Bianconeri, Juventus are well placed to climb back to the summit of Italian football and to challenge once more for the biggest prizes in Europe. For the most successful and storied club in the history of Calcio, the pursuit of glory never ends, and the Old Lady approaches this new chapter with the same relentless ambition that has driven her throughout more than a century at the pinnacle of the game.
The Juventus Way
A relentless winning mentality, defensive solidity and the famous “Fino alla Fine” spirit. Juventus’s culture of professionalism and success has made them the benchmark of Italian football for over a century.
Italian Kings
A record 36 Serie A titles, a record number of Coppa Italia crowns and two European Cups — the club of icons like Del Piero, Buffon, Platini, Nedvěd and countless Italian greats.
The Spalletti Era
Scudetto-winning coach Luciano Spalletti took charge mid-season and has signed on to lead a Juventus rebuild, aiming to restore the Old Lady to the top of Italian football and back into the Champions League.