Juve at the Euros: Past and Present 

Despite the Euros being an international tournament, the Turin side have made their mark over the years, with ten players lifting the trophy while at the club. 

1964

The first player was Luis Del Sol, who played for Spain in 1964. The first Spaniard to play for Juventus, Del Sol was signed from Real Madrid, having won a European Cup, two La Liga titles, a Spanish Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup with the Spanish side. Del Sol did not feature in the final and was not a mainstay in the Spanish national team. He played a vital role in Spain’s route to the final, where they defeated the Soviet Union 2-1 in Madrid.

But it is for his club exploits that Del Sol will be most fondly remembered. Over eight years at Juventus, from 1962 to 1970, Del Sol played 294 matches for Juventus, scored 29 goals, won the Coppa Italia in 1964/65 and the league title in 1966/67 in addition to his previous silverware at Real and his Euros winner’s medal. Del Sol is honoured with a commemorative star at Juventus Stadium’s Cammino Delle Stelle (Walk of Fame), an award bestowed on the 50 most important players in the club’s history as voted for by the fans.

1968

Four years later, three more Juve players would become Euros winners. The defensive trio of Giancarlo Bercellino, Ernesto Castano and Sandro Salvadore had turned the Bianconeri into a force to be reckoned with domestically, most notably weathering the storm in the 1965 Coppa Italia final against Inter to give The Old Lady her fifth Italian Cup triumph. All three men would be part of Italy’s squad for the 1968 Euros, held on home soil.

Castano would feature in the first match of the final, which finished 1-1, with Yugoslavia taking the lead shortly before half-time before Italy equalising late on with a low free kick through the wall from Angelo Domenghini. Salvadore would step in for the replay two days later, again at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The Yugoslavs were physically and mentally shattered by their inability to win the first game; Italy ran out 2-0 winners to inexplicably win a tournament where they advanced to the final via coin toss.

1984

It would be sixteen years before another Juventus player lifted the Euros trophy, but it would be an iconic one in the tournament’s history. Going into the 1984 tournament, Juventus’ Michel Platini was at the peak of his powers. Over two seasons, he’d finished as Serie A’s top scorer twice and won the Ballon d’Or, the Cup Winners’ Cup, and the Serie A title.

Platini’s nine goals in 1984 remain a record at a UEFA European Championship. After scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win against Denmark, Platini would score not one but two consecutive perfect hat tricks against Belgium and Yugoslavia. With France 2-1 down in the semis against Portugal, Platini assisted defender Jean-François Domergue for the equaliser, before scoring the winner in the 119th minute.

Platini would complete the set of scoring a goal in every game in the final, with a sumptuous free-kick giving France in the 57th minute before Bruno Bellone sealed the victory with a goal in injury time. Platini’s nine goals in 1984 remains a record at a Euros, with Platini surpassing Just Fontaine as France’s all-time top scorer during the tournament. Despite Platini appearing at only one European Championship, the Frenchman is still second-highest in scoring the most goals in the history of the tournament, behind Cristiano Ronaldo on 14.

2000

History would repeat itself at Euro 2000, with a mercurial Frenchman yet again lighting up the tournament with a free kick against Spain in the quarters, and a late semi-final winner against Portugal, ending another sixteen-year drought for a Juventus Euros winner. Zinedine Zidane, having missed vast swathes of France ‘98 and in terrible club form, partnered with the rejuvenated Thierry Henry to make a formidable attacking force.

In Juventus’ previous Serie A campaign, Zidane scored a mere four goals (three of them from free kicks), with his only assist coming 30 minutes into the season's opening game. International Zidane was a different breed, though, complimenting Henry in attack. He also proved himself adept further back, dropping deeper in the final when manager Roger Lemerre brought on the extra attackers who were pivotal in France’s two trophy-winning goals.

2021

Juve would significantly contribute to the current holders Italy’s triumph three years ago. Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Federico Bernardeschi and Federico Chiesa would all line up for the Azzurri through the campaign as they lifted a second Euros trophy. Left-footed centre-back Chiellini flourished in a back three, with long-term partner in crime Leonardo Bonucci hitting diagonal pass worthy of Andrea Pirlo, with both having excellent tournaments. Chiesa and Bernardeschi were deployed from the bench more tactically, with Chiesa shining out wide.

Bonucci would get Italy back into the final against England with the equaliser after a rocky start. Chiellini provided us with the defining image of the tournament, grabbing Bukayo Saka by the collar as he broke down the right flank, yanking him to the floor, which the referee sensationally waved play onto. In unsavory scenes, England fans smashed the turnstiles at Wembley, desperate to soak in the atmosphere at the final, which they then lost. Bukayo Saka missed a third consecutive penalty for England in the shoot-out, ensuring the football did not “come home” despite England barely leaving Wembley for the month, playing five of their six games in their tournament at their home ground.

2024

As the latest edition of the tournament kicks off this weekend, many current players will be looking to add their name to the Juve Euros roll of honour. Adrien Rabiot will look to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Platini and Zidane, who are lining up in midfield for France. He will face Austria, Netherlands, and Poland in Group D, with teammate Wojciech Szczesny in goals for Poland. Striker Arek Milik’s untimely injury in Poland’s recent friendly against Ukraine sadly ruled him out of the squad, with Szczesny their only representative from the Bianconeri.

Federico Chiesa will look to become the first two-time Juve Euros winner as part of a quartet of Italy Juve players, along with Andrea Cambiaso, Nicolo Fagioli, and Federico Gatti. Luciano Spalletti’s Azzurri have been drawn in Group B alongside Albania, Croatia and Spain as they look to defend their European Championship title in Germany. 

Chiesa isn’t the only Juve forward at the Euros. The other two parts of his newly found attacking trio, Kenan Yildiz and  Dusan Vlahovic, will line up for their respective countries as well. Hot prospect Yildiz hopes to propel Turkey to qualify out of Group F, facing the likes of Czechia, Georgia, and Portugal. Vlahovic will be joined in the Serbian squad by Juve teammate Filip Kostic, who will battle alongside Denmark, England, and Slovenia in Group C.

With Thiago Motta recently taking up his role in the Juve dugout, this season looks to be a rebuild for a club desperate to return to the summit of Italian football. According to Fabrizio Romano, Chiesa’s future will remain undecided until after the Euros, with rumours swirling about an imminent transfer. Chiesa won’t be the only one fighting for his place in the side this summer, but will we see more names join the prestigious ranks of Juventus Euros winners?