Former Juventus defender, Leonardo Bonucci confirmed his retirement from professional football earlier today, May 29, 2024.
Leonardo Bonucci who also played for Italy’s national team, Fenerbahce and AC Milan, announced his retirement through an emotional video which he posted across all his social media platforms.
The 37-year-old Bonucci had to retire from the game after Turkish side, Fenerbahce decided not to extend his contract this summer.
It became more obvious that he would retire after he failed to land a call-up to Italy’s national team for the forthcoming 2024 European Championship.
“As a child, I dreamed of this story I would tell, promising myself achievements to embrace against the biggest, celebrating, having faith through difficulties with courage”, Leonardo Bonucci said.
“A father, a teammate, a husband, a player. Beyond. Beyond history today, I am me.”
Note that before Leonardo Bonucci announced his retirement from football, he helped Italy to win one European Championship, nine Serie A titles at Inter and Juventus, five Coppa Italia trophies and five Supercoppa Italiana.
Gianluigi Buffon Reacts to Leonardo Bonucci’s retirement:
After Leonardo Bonucci announced his retirement from football, Italian iconic goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, who also retired from the game in 2023, described the retired defender as his “companion”.
Recall that Bonucci and Buffon played together for several years at Italy national team and Juventus.
Buffon wrote on X: “As happened to Barza, to me and then finally to Chiellone, your retirement brings a feeling of melancholy to the soul, one that makes us proud of what we were, but at the same time, makes us stand still in the knowledge that time is passing away.
“However, it is in that past where we find certain feelings and emotions, having travelled side-by-side on this journey, where our common factor was mutual trust. Each of us trusted each other, and thanks to that trust, we created an important part of football history.
“Great Leo, my companion in many battles, with that confidence, I know you will look to the future with your usual determination.”
The post Buffon Reacts As Leonardo Bonucci Retires From Football appeared first on Naija News.