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Juventus FC

Association football club in Turin, Italy

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Through World War I, World War II and Roman Empire

Juventus have won a record 36 Italian league titles, 15 Coppa Italia trophies, and 9 Supercoppa Italiana trophies, making them the leading club in the historical Italian Football Federation (FIGC) classification. Internationally, the club has won two European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, one European Cup Winners' Cup, three UEFA Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, and one UEFA Intertoto Cup. With eleven international trophies, Juventus occupy the sixth position in Europe and 12th position worldwide for most confederation titles; they are placed fourth in the all-time Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) ranking, having obtained the highest coefficient score during seven seasons since its introduction in 1979, the most for an Italian team in both cases and joint second overall in the last cited.

Founded as Sport-Club Juventus, the club established itself as a major force in Italian football during the 1930s and at international stage during mid-1970s. They enjoyed a period of sustained national and European success under Giovanni Trapattoni between the late 1970s and mid-1980s, winning six league titles, as well as, the UEFA Cup (1976–77), the Cup Winners' Cup (1983–84) and the European Champions' Cup (1984–85), becoming the first club to win all three major UEFA competitions. With additional triumphs in 1984 European Super Cup and 1985 Intercontinental Cup, I Bianconeri became also the first in football history to complete a clean sweep of international trophies; an improved record by winning the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup, and remained the only club to have won every official UEFA men's club tournament until the first 2022 Europa Conference League final.

Under Marcello Lippi in the 1990s, Juventus won five league titles and the 1996 Champions League, reaching three consecutive Champions League finals between 1996 and 1998. Between 2012 and 2020, Juventus won a record nine consecutive Serie A titles and reached two UEFA Champions League finals. Previously, in 2000 was voted the seventh best of the FIFA Club of the Century and, nine years later, was placed by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics second in the European best club of the 20th-century ranking, the highest position for an Italian club in both.

Owned by the Agnelli family since 1923, Juventus is the most widely supported football club in Italy and among the most supported worldwide. Juventus players have won, among others, eight Ballon d'Or awards and three FIFA World Player of the Year awards, while the club has provided more players to the Italy national team than any other, including to its FIFA World Cup-winning squads of 1934, 1982, and 2006. Juventus have long-standing rivalries with Torino, Inter Milan, and AC Milan. Listed on the Borsa Italiana since 2001, the club is also one of the world's most valuable football clubs.

History

Foundation and early years (1897–1913)

Juventus was founded as Sport-Club Juventus in late 1897 by students from the Massimo d'Azeglio Lyceum school in Turin, including Eugenio and Enrico Canfari. The club was renamed Foot-Ball Club Juventus in 1899, and entered the Italian Football Championship in 1900, playing their first league match on 11 March 1900 in a 1–0 defeat to Torinese.

In 1904, businessman Marco Ajmone-Marsan helped stabilise the finances of Juventus, allowing the club to move the training field from Piazza d'Armi to the Velodrome Humbert I. In 1905, Juventus won their first Italian championship. Around this period, the club adopted its famous black-and-white striped shirts, inspired by English side Notts County, replacing its original pink and black colours.

In 1906, internal disagreements over the club's future led president Alfred Dick and several players to leave Juventus and form FBC Torino, creating the foundations of the Derby della Mole. Juventus spent the following years rebuilding and remained active through the disruptions of World War I.

In 1913, Juventus was relegated to the second division after finishing in last place, but after pressure made by their executives to the Italian Federation, it was decided to increase the number of teams in the following season, allowing Juventus to remain in the top flight.

Rise to prominence and first dynasty (1923–1967)

The beginning of Juventus's rise coincided with the arrival of the Agnelli family. In 1923, Edoardo Agnelli, vice president of FIAT, became club president, while the inauguration of a new stadium helped provide the foundations for the club's professional development. Juventus won its second league title in 1925–26, defeating Alba Roma 12–1 on aggregate in the final.

During the 1930s, Juventus became Italy's first major professional club and dominated the national championship, winning five consecutive league titles between 1931 and 1935. Several Juventus players, including Raimundo Orsi, Luigi Bertolini, Giovanni Ferrari, and Luis Monti, formed part of the Italy national team that won the 1934 FIFA World Cup. After moving to the Stadio Comunale, the club experienced a period of transition before rebuilding following World War II.

Under the continued influence of the Agnelli family, Juventus returned to success in the late 1940s and early 1950s, winning Serie A titles in 1949–50 and 1951–52. The arrival of Welsh forward John Charles and Argentine-born Italian striker Omar Sívori alongside club icon Giampiero Boniperti created the renowned "Magical Trio" (Trio Magico), leading Juventus to further domestic success, including the club's first league and cup double in 1959–60. Boniperti retired in 1961 as Juventus's all-time leading goalscorer, having become one of the defining figures in the club's history. In 1961, Juventus became the first Italian club to win ten league titles, earning the right to add a gold star above its crest, a tradition later adopted by other clubs.

Juventus added another league title in 1966–67, ending the period as one of Italy's most successful clubs.

Domestic dominance and European rise (1971–1993)

Juventus entered a new era of dominance during the 1970s, establishing itself as the leading club in Italian football. Under former player Čestmír Vycpálek, the club won consecutive Serie A titles in 1971–72 and 1972–73, with players such as Roberto Bettega, Franco Causio, and Gaetano Scirea becoming central figures. Under Giovanni Trapattoni, who took charge in 1976, Juventus continued its success, winning further league titles and securing its first major European trophy with the 1976–77 UEFA Cup.

The Trapattoni era continued into the 1980s, with Juventus winning three more Serie A titles by 1984, and becoming the first Italian club to win 20 league championships, earning a second golden star on its shirt. The team featured several of the leading players of the period, including Paolo Rossi, Michel Platini, Gaetano Scirea, and Zbigniew Boniek. Platini won the Ballon d'Or three consecutive times between 1983 and 1985, while Juventus reached the pinnacle of European football by winning the 1985 European Cup final against Liverpool. The match was overshadowed by the Heysel Stadium disaster, but the victory made Juventus the first club to win all three major UEFA competitions and, after their Intercontinental Cup triumph later that year, the first club to win all five recognised international club competitions.

After the European triumph, Juventus entered a period of transition as domestic rivals such as Napoli, AC Milan, and Inter Milan challenged their dominance. The club won the 1989–90 Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup under Dino Zoff, and moved to the Stadio delle Alpi ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Despite the arrival of Roberto Baggio in 1990 for a transfer record fee, Juventus experienced limited success in the early 1990s, with their main achievement being another UEFA Cup victory in 1993.

Lippi era and Calciopoli (1994–2007)

The appointment of Marcello Lippi as manager in 1994 marked the beginning of one of the most successful periods in Juventus's history. In his first season, in 1994–95, the club won Serie A and the Coppa Italia, with a squad featuring players such as Ciro Ferrara, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Baggio, and a young Alessandro Del Piero. In 1996, Juventus won their second UEFA Champions League, defeating Ajax on penalties in the final, with Fabrizio Ravanelli scoring in the 1–1 draw.

Following their European triumph, Juventus continued to dominate Italian football and became one of Europe's leading clubs. With players including Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps, Edgar Davids, and Filippo Inzaghi, the club won further Serie A titles in 1996–97 and 1997–98, as well as the 1996 UEFA Super Cup and 1996 Intercontinental Cup. Juventus also reached consecutive Champions League finals in 1997 and 1998, losing to Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively. With their 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup, Juventus became the first team to win all six major UEFA competitions.

After Lippi returned as manager in 2001, following Carlo Ancelotti's dismissal, Juventus rebuilt around players such as Gianluigi Buffon, Pavel Nedvěd, David Trezeguet, and Lilian Thuram. The club won back-to-back Serie A titles in 2001–02 and 2002–03, and reached the 2003 UEFA Champions League final, losing to Milan on penalties. Fabio Capello subsequently led Juventus to two more league titles in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

In 2006, Juventus was involved in the Calciopoli scandal, an investigation into alleged sporting fraud involving several Italian clubs. The club was relegated to Serie B for the first time in its history and stripped of its 2004–05 league title, while the 2005–06 title was later awarded to Inter. Several leading players left following the relegation, but figures including Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Pavel Nedvěd, and David Trezeguet remained. Juventus immediately returned to Serie A after winning the 2006–07 Serie B title, beginning the process of rebuilding after the scandal.

Rebuilding and nine-title dynasty (2007–2020)

Following their return to Serie A in 2007, Juventus entered a period of rebuilding after the disruption caused by Calciopoli. The club initially struggled to regain its former status, with managerial changes and inconsistent performances before Andrea Agnelli became president in 2010. Under Agnelli's leadership, Juventus underwent a major transformation, including the opening of the Juventus Stadium in 2011, which marked the beginning of a new era.

With Antonio Conte as manager, Juventus returned to domestic dominance, winning the 2011–12 Serie A title unbeated as the first Italian team to do so under the 20-team format, and beginning a run of consecutive championships. The club secured three league titles under Conte, including the 2013–14 title won with a record 102 points, before Massimiliano Allegri took over in 2014. Under Allegri, Juventus extended its dominance, winning five more Serie A titles and becoming the first Italian club to win seven consecutive league championships. During this period, Juventus also achieved four consecutive domestic doubles and reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2015 and 2017, although they were defeated by Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.

Seeking further European success, Juventus signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in 2018 in one of the most high-profile transfers in football history. The club won two more Serie A titles during Ronaldo's tenure, extending its unprecedented league-winning streak to nine consecutive championships by 2020. Despite its domestic dominance, Juventus was unable to secure another Champions League title, and the period ended with the departure of Allegri and the appointment of Maurizio Sarri.

Recent period (2020–present)

Juventus's period of domestic dominance ended in 2021, when Inter Milan won Serie A and brought an end to the club's record run of nine consecutive league titles. Andrea Pirlo briefly managed the team during the 2020–21 season, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, before Massimiliano Allegri returned as manager.

Allegri's second spell proved more challenging, with Juventus finishing fourth in Serie A and failing to win a trophy in 2021–22 for the first time since 2010–11. The club also experienced difficulties off the pitch, with the resignation of Andrea Agnelli's board of directors in 2022 and subsequent investigations into financial matters. Juventus received sporting penalties and, following a settlement with UEFA, missed European competitions during the 2023–24 season.

Despite these setbacks, Juventus won the 2024 Coppa Italia, their first trophy since 2021, before Allegri departed at the end of the season. Following Allegri's departure, Juventus entered a new rebuilding phase under Thiago Motta, who was later replaced by Igor Tudor, and subsequently Luciano Spalletti.

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