Juventus: Ranking the five best centre-backs of all time
1. Gaetano Scirea
Arriving in Turin at the tender age of 21, expectations of the slight Gaetano Scirea were sky-high after shining in Bergamo with Atalanta. However, very few – if any – would’ve forecasted the sheer excellence Scirea would exude throughout his 14-year stay.
His talents were clear from the outset, with the Italian’s elegance, poise and intelligence distinct. He was built to thrive as a libero and although he enjoyed early collective success with the club, it wasn’t until Giovanni Trapattoni arrived in 1976 when Scirea’s elevation to superstardom commenced.
Complemented by the hard-nosed Claudio Gentile and Trap’s overwhelming nous and wisdom, Scirea reached unthinkable heights in Bianconeri colours, all while mastering his craft in atypical fashion in the context of the era. While the Gentiles of the world sought psychological and physical destruction of opponents, Scirea’s game was laden with grace, class, and respect. Italian journalist Darwin Pastorin labeled Scirea the “gentleman sweeper”, such was the subdued manner in which he went about his business.
Nevertheless, it was Scirea’s reading of the game and impressive tactical awareness that went a long way to Trap’s successful implementation of a defensive concept known as Zona Mista – an interpretation of catenaccio that combined zonal and man-marking. The Italian’s ability in possession, meanwhile, only aided the aesthetics of a ruthlessly efficient and star-studded Juve side that conquered Italy seven times and the continent once in 1985 in the backdrop of the Heysel disaster.
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It’s Scirea’s complete centre-back profile that separates him from the rest. He was a 21st-century defender excelling a generation prior; a living manifestation of the position’s radical evolution.
His tragic death at the age of 36 sent shockwaves around the footballing world. For a genius had perished despite having so much to give to the sport he helped evolve. However, Gaetano Scirea’s legacy as Juventus’ greatest-ever defender remains firmly intact.