B&W History: Alessandro Del Piero

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B&W History: Alessandro Del Piero

Written by: Lannie Deng

If there is one player to love as a Bianconero/a, it would undoubtedly be Alessandro Del Piero- the all-time leading scorer for Juventus. Throughout the 19 seasons he played at the club from 1993 until 2012, Del Piero won the hearts of all Juve fans, and will continue to have their utmost respect.

When Alessandro joined the Old Lady in 1993, Juventus have gone seven years without winning a Scudetto. The Bianconeri were at 22 Scudetti at the time, and aiming for an eventual 30th. After an unsuccessful 1993-94 season under legendary manager Trapattoni, Marcello Lippi took over and thus began the resurgence of the Torinese giants. Along with other great players such as Vialli and Ravanelli, Del Piero helped the team win the Serie A for the first time in nine years.

The next season after Baggio’s departure, Del Piero took over the number 10 shirt and officially began his ascension to legendary status at the club. Scoring a total of 290 goals for the Bianconeri, Del Piero’s record is far from being broken as other players such as Boniperti and Bettega trail behind by more than 100 goals. Notably, he scored 6 goals in the 1995-96 Champion’s League season, which ultimately saw the Bianconeri win the most sought-after European trophy.

Alessandro even had an iconic style of goal named “Gol alla Del Piero”, where he famously dribbled up and shot from the left flank of the field with his right foot, creating a curve that saw the ball end up in the far upper corner of the net. His famous celebration of running with his arms open and tongue sticking out is also a familiar sight for those who watched his magic unfold in real-time.

Del Piero is also loved for his complete loyalty to the club, as illustrated by his reaction to the Calciopoli scandal. Despite the Bianconeri receiving the harsh punishment of two Scudetti titles erased and relegation to Serie B, the then-captain never thought about leaving, and famously said:

"A true gentleman never leaves his lady."

Making 35 league appearances and scoring 20 goals in Serie B, “Il Pinturicchio” helped the club get back to top-flight football after just one season, despite suffering an additional point deduction.

With the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Scudetti having been stripped, the Old Lady officially went eight seasons with no titles. However, the number 10 got the perfect send-off, as manager Antonio Conte led the Bianconeri to the Champion’s spot in 2011-12, during Alessandro’s last season at the club. The rest is history. Juventus have yet to lose a Scudetto since then, as they aim for a tenth consecutive trophy this season.

Juventus have never had a lack of great players, but Alessandro was one of a kind. With his combination of creativity, passion, loyalty, and so much more, he is a forever captain in many Juventini’s hearts.

“From tomorrow I will no longer be a Juventus player, but I will always be one of you.” 

- Alessandro Del Piero.