Greatest Juventus Players Ever | Top 10 Legends
5. Zinedine Zidane [1996-2001]
Printed on the wall inside of Juventus’ museum, there is a quote Enzo Bearzot used for the Frenchman: “He handled the ball with absolute grace. It is beautiful to watch his passes, to see how he does everything on the field. Because of the unpredictability of his movements, he reminds me of the flight of a butterfly.”
Zidane joined Juventus in 1996 and went on to make 212 apps for the club, scoring 31 times. Zidane’s legacy extends beyond the field, however, and his link with the people of Turin and the fans also lingers. Following a Fifa World Player of the Year (1998, 2000) and Ballon d’Or (1998) during his time in Turin a €75m move, then a world-record fee, to Real Madrid followed.
During his 5 year spell for Juventus, he created magic, and his legacy is now carved in the history of Italian football.
4. Omar Sivori [1957-1965]
Born in Buenos Aires on 2 October 1935, Sivori was just 21 years of age when he swapped his native Argentina for Turin, departing first club River Plate to join the Bianconeri for a then world-record fee. He was regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. Sívori’s footballing talent was widely acclaimed, and he won the coveted European Footballer of the Year award in 1961.
Along with John Charles and Giampiero Boniperti, Sivori formed a deadly trident of Juventus in the period of the 1950s to 1960s. In 259 appearances for the Old Lady, he scored 174 goals. He helped Juventus to win the league thrice and Coppa Italia twice.
Yet, it was his love for the shirt that really tugged at supporters’ heartstrings, with one quote, in particular, encapsulating his mantra: “Here you always need to fight and when everything seems lost, keep believing. Juve never give in.”
3. Michel Platini [1982-1987]
The French playmaker spent five seasons with the Old Lady, an incredibly intense spell that was topped by a variety of team successes – both domestically and in Europe – and, on a personal level, three Ballon d’Ors.
Platini’s playing style was virtually unseen from a French player beforehand. His gift was his precise understanding and handling of a football, which enabled him to play astounding passes or try audacious shots both from open play and dead-ball situations. His ability was such that Bobby Charlton remarked, “What a playmaker. He could thread the ball through the eye of a needle as well as finish.”
The 1982 World Cup would become the Frenchman’s tournament and he used the time to make his nation stand up and finally realize just what a fantastic player he was.
Platini won the Serie A title with Juventus in 1984 and 1986, the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1984, the 1984 European Super Cup, the European Cup in 1985, and also the 1985 Intercontinental Cup. He finished top scorer in Serie A for three consecutive seasons (1982–83, 1983–84, and 1984–85). He is vividly remembered among the greatest Juventus players ever.