Giampiero BONIPERTI
(1928-2021)
A true giant of Italian football, Boniperti won 38 international caps – 24 as captain – and played at two World Cups, alongside a record-breaking career with Juventus. Having made his Italy debut aged 19 in 1947, the forward was the leading light of the post-war era for both club and country. Boniperti captained Italy at the 1954 World Cup, and helped Juve to five Serie A titles and two Italian Cups. Alongside Wales legend John Charles and Argentine forward Omar Sivori, he formed a deadly attacking trident. He retired in 1961 with an all-time high 179 goals for the club – a record that stood until Alessandro Del Piero overtook it in 2006 – before going on to become president in 1971. Under his reign, Juve won 16 trophies in 19 years, including the 1985 European Cup.