Juventus’ All-Time Greatest XI
Midfielders (By James Cormack)
CM – Marco Tardelli
He may well be notoriously remembered for his wild celebration while donning the colours of the Azzurri after scoring in the 1982 World Cup final, but Marco Tardelli was also an outstanding Juventus servant for the best part of a decade.
After joining the club in 1975 as a relative unknown, Tardelli would swiftly emerge as a protagonist in Giovanni Trapottani’s all-conquering Bianconeri. The Italian midfielder was revered as one of the finest at his position during his pomp. He boasted a wonderful balance of elegance and energy, with his tireless work without the ball crucial in ensuring Trapattoni’s Catenaccio-inspired ideals manifested themselves on the pitch.
Overall, Tardelli was significant in one of several glory eras for Juve, with his knack of scoring at crucial moments distinct. The World Cup-winner helped the Bianconeri to five Scudetti, two Coppa Italia triumphs and the UEFA Cup, while Trap’s crowning moment arrived in the form of the 1984/85 European Cup title (overshadowed by events which preceded the bout), which proved the culmination of a dominant Juventus era.
CM – Pavel Nedved
Revered for his unpredictability in possession and flowing blonde locks, Pavel Nedved remains the Czech Republic’s supreme footballing export and is one of the finest to don the iconic white and black of Juventus.
Nedved was tasked with a seemingly impossible mission upon his expensive 2001 arrival from Lazio: replace Zinedine Zidane. Nevertheless, it was an assignment that the Czech master performed with the utmost distinction. While no one could replicate the Frenchman’s wizardry with the ball, Nedved provided Marcello Lippi with superior steel and tenacity in the middle of the park. His supreme ball-carrying capacity and slickness in the final third, however, meant he was also capable of producing sequences of samba-esque silk that could rival his predecessor.
Nedved secured the Ballon d’Or crown in 2003, a year when Juventus secured their second Scudetto since the Czech’s arrival and reached the Champions League final. Nedved’s absence proved costly against domestic rivals AC Milan in a drab contest, with the midfielder suspended after picking up a booking amid a masterful display against Real Madrid in the semi-final second leg.
While a European title escaped him, it was his show of loyalty amid the Calciopoli scandal which cemented his legacy as a modern-day Juve hero.
CM – Edgar Davids
It was Juventus’ victory over Ajax in the 1996 Champions League Final which signalled a changing of the guard regarding the continents supreme nation, with Dutch domination usurped by the Italians.
The Bosman ruling facilitated such a transition, with the stars of Louis van Gaal’s scintillating Ajax side departing for alternate challenges overseas. One of those was Edgar Davids – perhaps Europe’s most coveted midfielder at the time – who endured an indifferent spell in Milan with the Rossoneri before arriving in Turin in 1998. The tenacious but technically proficient Dutchman would go on to exceed all expectations for the Bianconeri after a distinct struggle with AC.
Davids established a wonderful dynamic with Zinedine Zidane – a yin and yang sort of relationship – as his work-rate harmoniously complemented the Frenchman’s attacking magic. Davids’ unique aesthetic only added to his mystique and skill set.
Often functioning as Marcello Lippi’s engine-room in a narrow midfield three, the Dutchman enjoyed six prosperous years with the Bianconeri, lifting three Scudetti and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. The continent’s grandest prize, however, eluded him following his Amsterdam exit.