[Juventus FC] [Squad List] [Latest Results] [Club History] [Club Records] [Management] [Latest News] [Club Honours] [Delle Alpi] [JFC Links]

1897: THE KICK-OFF
1897 : A bench in Re Umberto Avenue finds a group of young students from Liceo D'Azeglio in Turin in need of something to do. They decide to start a sports club with the aim of playing football, a sport started in Great Britain, but developing fast in Europe. So the story goes - Juventus F.C. was born in this way - just for fun. This club, run by the first president Enrico Canfari, played against more experienced and organised teams in the city. However in 1905 Juventus won its first Italian title after a fascinating competition with two other teams - Genoa and Milan. Juventus F.C. chose their first home at D'Armi Square, which is still used today. For some years Juventus founders wore pink shirts - the same ones they wore when they started in1900. The change to the black and white colours was made in 1903 after a wrong shipment was sent from England where the new strip was to be made. Despite growing achievements, Juventus were in the shadow of stronger teams like Provercelli and Casale until the outbreak of the First World War. After the war they continued to rise, with goalkeeper Giacone and the full backs Novo and Bruno the first to play in the national team. The President was the poet and man of letters Corrado Corradini, who wrote the club anthem which remained until the sixties.

THE BIRTH OF THE GREAT JUVENTUS
In 1923 Giampiero Combi, one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world, made his debut. Edoardo Agnelli, son of the FIAT founder, was elected the new president of the club and due to the growing number of fans, Juventus took possession of a bigger stadium in Marsiglia Road. Jeno Karoly, the first real trainer, arrived at Juventus with the inside left Hirzer, both from Hungary, to supplement the talents of Combi, Rosetta, Munerati, Bigatto and Grabbi. In 1925-26, after a fascinating run-in, Juventus won their second championship.

THE FIRST SUCCESSES
In this glorious period Juventus won five consecutive championships. Trainer Carlo Carcano was able to call upon great stars such as Orsi, Caligaris, Monti, Cesarini, Varglien, Bertolini, Ferrari and Borel. Not only did Juve triumph in five championships from 1930 to 1935, the Italian national side also won the World Cup in 1934. During this period Juventus had their first experience in world football, participating in the Europe Cup (today's Champions League) where they reached the semi-final stage four times. In 1933 Juventus also changed its home: the town stadium was built for the World University Games and the team played there until 1900.

THE LEGENDARY PERIOD
In 1947 Giovanni Agnelli became the president of the Juventus F.C. The most notable players from this period were Carlo Parolo, plus the two Danes John Hansen and Praest. The hero of the team however, and the holder of the record for both appearances (444) and goals (177), was Giampiero Boniperti. Juventus won 2 championships in 1950 and 1952. By 1955 Umberto Agnelli had taken over the Presidency from his older brother Giovanni. Having added the services of Omar Sivori and John Charles, Juventus won championships in 1958,1960 and 1961. For the first time an Italian Club became entitled to wear the star after winning 10 national championships.

FIFTEEN YEARS OF SUCCESSES
1967 was another successful championship year for Juve under the presidency of Vittore Catella. A long successful period started with Giampiero Boniperti as president in 1971. During the fifteen years from 1972 to 1986, Juventus won nine championships and tasted victory in all the European and Intercontinental tournaments. Vycpalek, Parola and Giampiero Boniperti were the trainers, while on the pitch Juventus featured such greats as Zoff, Scirea, Tardelli, Cabrini, Causio, Rosa, Gentile, Furino, Anastasi and Roberto Bettega -today's vice-president. The Italians were complemented by superb foreigners like Michel Platini who won two championships, two European Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, three awards as the top goal-scorer and three Golden Balls in five years. In 1990 Juventus won the UEFA Cup and the Italian Cup (with today's president Vittorio Chiusano and Dino Zoff as trainer) and the UEFA Cup again in 1993.

THE MOST RECENT TRIUMPHS
In 1994 a new managerial group of A.Giraudo, Luciano Moggi and Roberto Bettega (nicknamed "the triad") took over at the head of Juventus FC. They employed trainer Marcello Lippi, who immediately guided the team to their first Championship in nine years. In 1994-95 the team won the Italian Cup but lost in the final of the UEFA Cup.
Juventus had won the Champions Cup only once before - on the tragic night at Heysel against Liverpool. The final match of the season in Rome saw Juventus take on Ajax for the title of European Champions. An exciting match ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time. The successful penalty kicks from Peruzzi, Ferrara, Pessotto, Padovano and Jugovic sent all Juventus supporters into ecstasy. In the following year Juventus won the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo (Del Piero), the European Supercup against Paris Saint Germain and their 24th Scudetto. Sadly the Final of the Champions League was lost to Borussia Dortmund, but Lippi bounced back as the club won the Supercup and their 25th Championship.