Leonardo Bonucci
Encyclopedia
Leonardo Bonucci is an Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

 footballer who plays as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....

 for Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...

 club Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...

 and the Italian national team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...

.

Internazionale

Bonucci started his career at Viterbese
A.S. Viterbese Calcio
Associazione Sportiva Viterbese Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Viterbo, Lazio. The club was founded in 1908 and refounded in 2004 as A.S. Viterbo Calcio, but changed its name back during the 2005–06 season. Viterbese currently plays in Serie D. The team's colors are yellow...

 but was loaned to Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

 in the summer of 2005. He played a number of pre-season friendlies for Inter first team. He then became a member of Inter's Primavera Under-20 Team.

Bonucci made his Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...

 debut in the last match of 2005–06 season, against Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....

. At the end of the season, Inter bought Bonucci outright.

He played his first Coppa Italia match against Messina
F.C. Messina Peloro
Associazione Calcio Rinascita Messina is an Italian football club based in Messina, Sicily. It currently plays in Serie D.- Brief history :The origins of the team go back to 1900 when Messina F.C was founded in the city. The club has spent most of its history in the lower Italian football leagues...

 on 9 November 2006 when he came off the bench for substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...

 Fabio Grosso
Fabio Grosso
Fabio Grosso, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus. Grosso is primarily a left wingback, but can also play as left back. He is also a free kick, penalty kick and corner kick specialist...

 in the 86th minute. Bonucci featured in two more Coppa Italia games for Inter that season when he was brought on for the substituted Walter Samuel
Walter Samuel
Walter Adrián Samuel is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Internazionale. Throughout his career he has been regarded as one of football's toughest defenders, with team-mate and Inter captain Javier Zanetti referring to him as the "hardest player" he has played with.Having been gifted...

 at half-time during the quarter final second leg match against Empoli
Empoli F.C.
Empoli Football Club is an Italian association football club located in Empoli, Tuscany, founded in 1920 and played its first official match in 1921.In recent years, the club has all too often been bouncing between Italy's two top divisions...

 and as a starter in the semi final second leg tie against Sampdoria
U.C. Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...

.

In January 2007, 50% of Bonucci's registration rights were sold to Treviso
Treviso F.B.C. 1993
Football Club Treviso is an Italian football club based in Treviso. The club was formed in 1909, and refounded in 1993 and in 2009. The club currently plays in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.Treviso's official colours are light blue and white.-History:...

 by Inter along with 50% of the registration rights for fellow Primavera Team team-mate Daniel Maa Boumsong
Daniel Maa Boumsong
Daniel Maa Boumsong is a former Cameroonian footballer.-Inter Milan:Born in Ngambe, Maa Boumsong joined Internazionale in 2005, age 18. He arrived Italy for 2004 Torneo di Viareggio and escaped from the squad to seek asylum...

. Bonucci subsequently remained at Inter until 30 June 2007. while Maa Boumsong returned from Treviso where he spent the first half of the season on loan. During Bonucci's last season with Inter's U-20 Youth Team, he won the Italian "Primavera" U20 Youth League.

Treviso & Pisa

On 1 July 2007, along with Maa Boumsong they officially became Treviso player. To compensate Treviso that sold Robert Acquafresca
Robert Acquafresca
Robert Acquafresca is an Italian footballer of half-Polish descent who plays for Serie A club Bologna as a striker.-Club career:...

 back to Inter in June, Inter sold Federico Piovaccari
Federico Piovaccari
Federico Piovaccari is an Italian football striker. He currently plays for U.C. Sampdoria.In July 2005 he was loaned to Treviso of Serie B, but after Treviso was awarded to promote to Seire A due to Caso Genoa, he was loaned to San Marino Calcio of Serie C1...

 in co-ownership deal, made there were 3 players joined Treviso from Inter that season. At Treviso, Bonucci played 20 starts in 27 Serie B appearances as one of the regular starter.

In June 2008, Bonucci was the only player that bought back by Inter from Treviso but he was remained at Treviso on loan. To compensate Treviso (for Bonucci and mid-season signing Riccardo Bocalon
Riccardo Bocalon
Riccardo Bocalon is an Italian footballer who plays for Cremonese on loan from Internazionale.-Biography:Born in Venice, Veneto, Bocalon started his career with Treviso. In January 2008, he was signed by Internazionale along with Jacopo Fortunato in co-ownership deal, but Bocalon was loaned back...

 and Jacopo Fortunato
Jacopo Fortunato
Jacopo Fortunato is an Italian footballer who plays for Lega Pro Prima Divisione club SPAL.-Biography:Fortunato joined Lombardy club Internazionale along with Riccardo Bocalon in January 2008 from Veneto club Treviso. In June 2008, Inter bought the remain 50% registration rights of both players,...

) and to give a chance to youth players, Treviso hired Gianluca Litteri
Gianluca Litteri
Gianluca Litteri is an Italian football player, currently playing for Lega Pro Prima Divisione side Ternana .-Career:...

 and Daniele Pedrelli
Daniele Pedrelli
Daniele Pedrelli is an Italian footballer who plays for Prima Divisione side Spezia.-Biography:Born in Fivizzano, Tuscany, Pedrelli started his career at hometown club Fivizzanese, then moved to FoCe Vara of the Province of La Spezia, Liguria, about 30 km away. He then played at Spezia...

 in co-ownership
Co-ownership (football)
Co-ownership is a system whereby two football clubs own the contract of a player jointly, although the player is only registered to play for one club...

 deal.

Bonucci played 13 Serie B matches for Treviso before left for another Serie B struggler Pisa Calcio
Pisa Calcio
Associazione Calcio Pisa 1909 is an Italian association football club, based in Pisa, Tuscany. The club was founded in 1909 as Pisa Sporting Club and refounded in 1994 as A.C. Pisa , after the cancellation of the old one because of economical troubles...

 on loan.

Bari

On 8 June 2009, Bonucci underwent a medical examination at Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...

. On 1 July, Inter officially announced Bonucci, along with Robert Acquafresca
Robert Acquafresca
Robert Acquafresca is an Italian footballer of half-Polish descent who plays for Serie A club Bologna as a striker.-Club career:...

, Francesco Bolzoni
Francesco Bolzoni
Francesco Bolzoni in Lodi is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Siena.-Club career:Bolzoni started out at San Colombano al Lambro before joining Inter's academy. Bolzoni has played for every academy team from the Esordienti to the Primavera .During the season 2006–2007, Bolzoni was...

 and Riccardo Meggiorini
Riccardo Meggiorini
Riccardo Meggiorini is an Italian footballer who plays for Novara, on loan from Genoa.He is nicknamed Meggio by his teammates.-Early career:Meggiorini started his career at Bovolone, a team from his native Verona Province....

, transferred to Genoa, as part of the deal that sent Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta Santon Olivares , known as Thiago Motta, is a Brazilian-born Italian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Internazionale....

 and Diego Milito
Diego Milito
Diego Alberto Milito is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for the Italian Serie A team Internazionale. He also plays for the Argentine national team. A prolific and consistent center-forward, Milito has statistically averaged just over a goal every two appearances, over the course of...

 to Inter. Moreover, Ivan Fatić
Ivan Fatic
Ivan Fatić is a Montenegrin football player playing for Empoli F.C. on loan from Chievo.-Biography:He was signed by Internazionale from relegated Chievo on 4 July 2007...

 who co-owned between Chievo and Inter, became co-owned between Chievo and Genoa. Bonucci was valued €3 million at that time.

But on 2 July he was transferred to Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....

 from Genoa, on a co-ownership deal, for €1.75 million, along with Meggiorini (co-ownership deal, for €2.75 million), Matteo Paro
Matteo Paro
Matteo Paro is an Italian footballer who plays for Vicenza.-Career:Paro made his Serie A debut in 17 May 2003, in a 2–1 loss to Reggina....

 (loan), Andrea Ranocchia
Andrea Ranocchia
Andrea Ranocchia is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Internazionale.-Club career:Born in Assisi in the province of Perugia, Ranocchia started his career at Perugia then in Arezzo. Ranocchia played for Arezzo's Primavera team in 2005–06 season and promoted to the first...

 (loan) and Giuseppe Greco
Giuseppe Greco (footballer)
Giuseppe Greco is an Italian footballer, who plays for Modena in Serie B, on loan from Genoa C.F.C.. He contract with Genoa would expired on 30 June 2012.- Career :...

 (loan).

At Bari he has become first choice in central defence under head coach Giampiero Ventura
Giampiero Ventura
Giampiero Ventura is an Italian football manager and the current manager of Torino.-Career:After a short playing career started with Sampdoria, Ventura was forced to retire from active football at the age of 25 because of a serious back injury...

, showing a composed yet strong and effective defensive style. He has formed an extremely strong partnership with Andrea Ranocchia
Andrea Ranocchia
Andrea Ranocchia is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Internazionale.-Club career:Born in Assisi in the province of Perugia, Ranocchia started his career at Perugia then in Arezzo. Ranocchia played for Arezzo's Primavera team in 2005–06 season and promoted to the first...

 which has been so effective that, as of the midway point in the 2009–10 season, Bari have the second best defensive record in Serie A. The strong partnership ended after Ranocchia injured in mid-season and ruled out from rest of the fixture.

Juventus

On the same day that Italy were eliminated from the World Cup, Bari bought the remaining half of Bonucci's registration rights from Genoa for €8M. Co-currently, Bari signed Sergio Bernardo Almirón
Sergio Bernardo Almirón
Sergio Bernardo Almirón is an Argentine football midfielder who currently plays for Calcio Catania, in the Italian Serie A. He is a central midfielder known for his passing and powerful shot.-Newell's Old Boys:...

 in co-ownership
Co-ownership (football)
Co-ownership is a system whereby two football clubs own the contract of a player jointly, although the player is only registered to play for one club...

 deal for €2.5M, who already went on loan for the 2009–10 season from Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...

 and Genoa bought the remaining 50% rights of Domenico Criscito
Domenico Criscito
Domenico Criscito , is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Russian Premier League club FC Zenit Saint Petersburg. He is a versatile defender who started his career as a centre back but now usually plays at left back.-Club career:...

 from Juve for €6M on the next day. Bonucci then went to Turin for a medical, and the 3-way swap was completed on 1 July, which Bonucci cost Juve €15.5M (but in cash plus player deals) and he signed a 5-year deal.

Partnered with Azzurri teammate Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus. He is a centre back, who started his career playing as a left back.-Livorno:...

, Bonucci was immediately drafted into the starting line-up for the first matches of the season. He scored his first goal for Juventus in the Europa League play-off match against Sturm Graz
SK Sturm Graz
SK Sturm Graz is an Austrian association football club, based in Graz, Styria, playing in the Austrian Bundesliga. The club was founded in 1909 and the club colours are black and white....

.

International career

At youth level, he played for Under-21 Serie B representative team. He was call-up to the friendly against Renate
A.C. Renate
Associazione Calcio Renate is an Italian association football club located in Renate, Lombardy. It currently plays in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione group A....

 on 6 November 2007, and against Under-20 Serie C representative team on 4 December 2007. He also capped for the team in an internal friendly, which split the Under-21 Serie B team into two on 9 October 2007, on 21 October 2008, on 25 November, and on 24 March 2009 as blue team captain.

He also received a call–up from Italy U20 team
Italy national under–20 football team
Italy national under-20 football team is the national under-20 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.-History:...

 on 31 May 2007. He was an unused bench in the match that 0–1 lost to Serie D Best XI.

Bonucci made his debut with Italy senior team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...

 on 3 March 2010, in a friendly match against Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...

 which took place in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...

. He was included by Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi, Commendatore OMRI is a former Italian World Cup-winning football manager and former player. He served as Italian national team head coach from 16 July 2004 to 12 July 2006 and led Italy to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was re-appointed as Italian head coach in the summer of 2008...

 in the starting line-up along with national team regulars Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro, Ufficiale OMRI is a former Italian footballer considered one of the greatest defenders of all time and was given the name "Muro di Berlino" which means The Berlin wall by Italian supporters. He spent the majority of his career in Italy...

 and Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus. He is a centre back, who started his career playing as a left back.-Livorno:...

 to form the defense line in a 3–4–3 formation.

Then he was included in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...

. He scored his first goal on 3 June 2010, in a 1–2 friendly loss against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...

. In the World Cup, he appeared as unused substitutes for all three matches played by Italy.

International goal

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 3 June 2010 King Baudouin Stadium
King Baudouin Stadium
The King Baudouin Stadium is a sports ground in north-west Brussels, Belgium. It was inaugurated on 23 August 1930 as the Stade du Jubilé or Jubelstadion in the presence of Prince Leopold. It was built to embellish the Heysel plateau in view of the Brussels International Exposition...

, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 
1 – 2 1–2 Friendly
2. 3 September 2010 A. Le Coq Arena
A. Le Coq Arena
A. Le Coq Arena is a football stadium in Tallinn, Estonia. As well as football matches, it also hosts various concerts and events. According to the plan, the stadium is unfinished....

, Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...

, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...

 
1 – 2 1–2 Euro 2012 qualifying

Club statistics

|-
|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Inter
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

||rowspan="2"|Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...


||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|2006–07
||0||0||3||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|2007-08||rowspan="2"|Treviso||rowspan="3"|Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...


||27||2||1||0||0||0||28||2
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008-091
||13||2||1||0||0||0||14||2
|-
|Pisa
||18||1||0||0||0||0||18||1
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Serie A
The 2009–10 Serie A was the seventy-eighth season since its establishment. There were three promoted teams from the Serie B, replacing the three teams that were relegated following the 2008–09 season. Nike provided a new match ball - the T90 Ascente - for this season...

||Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....

||rowspan="3"|Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...


||38||1||1||0||0||0||39||1
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Serie A
The 2010–11 Serie A was the 79th season since its establishment, the first under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 22 May 2011...

||rowspan="2"|Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...


||34||0||2||0||8||1||36||1
|-
|2011-12
||2||0||0||0||-||-||2||0
|-
133||7||8||0||8||1||149||8
Notes
  • Note 1: Bonucci signed for Pisa during mid season.

As of 12 October 2011

Honours

Inter
  • Serie A
    Serie A
    Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...

    : 2005-06
  • Campionato Nazionale Primavera: 2007
  • Primavera Cup: 2006

External links

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