28 June 2022
Less than a month to go until the Juventus Summer Tour powered by Jeep. Juve will be in the United States from July 21-30 for friendly games against Chivas Guadalajara, Barcelona and Real Madrid. So, after a two year-hiatus Juventus will set off an overseas summer tour.
The story began many years ago, from the 1950s to be precise. Since then, thousands of fans from the four corners of the world have had the opportunity to see their idols in black and white up close in the stadiums and training fields of their own lands.
In more than half a century, the Old Lady has clocked up mile after mile to reach her supporters in Brazil, USA, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Japan, Argentina, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
It all began in 1951, when the Juventus of Boniperti, Muccinelli, Praest and Hansen, all Italian champions in 1949-50, travelled to Brazil to play the Copa Rio, a forerunner of the Club World Cup. The Bianconeri only took part in the inaugural edition, won by Palmeiras who defeated Juve 3-2 on aggregate in the two-legged final in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Almost twenty years went by before the Bianconeri set off again on a tour outside of Europe. In 1969, the Old Lady embarked on a tour of the United States and met Barcelona and Dundee United.
In July 1975 fresh off a Serie A league title, Juve returned to Brazil where they met Palmeiras, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama. With Vittore Catella as president, the team boasted stars such as Anastasi, Del Sol and Haller.
One of the first players that mastered the overhead kick, Carlo Parola returned to Bianconeri hot seat fifteen years after his first spell as coach. Damiani and Scirea were the new players who joined Zoff, Gentile, Cuccureddu, Causio, Bettega and Altafini.
Canada was the destination of the overseas trip for two consecutive years, in May 1982 and August 1983. Juventus met Toronto Blizzard and a USA Olympic select, played on US territory in front of twenty thousand spectators.
The match against the US select was not the first time the Bianconeri faced national teams. Since 1938 and a 1-1 draw with Netherlands, the summer tours over the years offered Juventus players opportunities to test themselves against selects that drew together the best football talent of the host country.
In June 1984 the destination was Australia, where they met the national team in three balanced friendly matches, not forgetting a victory on penalties against Manchester United. Meanwhile, in 1989 they crossed the Atlantic for another US Tour, in which they defeated the United States and surrendered to Mexico 3-2, the country toured in 1991.
Again the national team provided the opposition in 1992 when the Old Lady returned to visit Japan, a land of magical memories for every Juventus fan after Intercontinental Cup successes in 1985 and 1996. The team, coached by Capello, returned there in 2005 to meet - including a stopover in Hong Kong - Yokohama F-Marinos, Kitchee Football Team and Tokyo FC.
Sandwiched between the two experiences in the land of the Rising Sun was the Sivori Cup of 1994 in Argentina, the tour of South Korea and Vietnam in 1996, Abu Dhabi in January 2003 for games against a World Select and Al-Ain, before returning to the United States, again, in the summer of the same year, where the Bianconeri won the Italian Super Cup against Milan on penalties.
Scrolling down through history, other tours included China and Australia in 2008, United States and Canada from 2010 to 2012, United Arab Emirates in January 2012, and once again the USA in 2013.
In the summer of 2014, Juve flew to Jakarta, Indonesia before moving on to Sydney, and subsequently to Singapore. The following year, after some European friendlies, the Bianconeri flew off to Shanghai, China, for the appointment with Lazio in the Super Cup, won through goals by Mandzukic and Dybala.
Lazio - Juventus | The victory of 2015
Year 2016, Juve went back "Down-Under". The Bianconeri played a series of friendly games in Australia and Hong Kong, before heading Stateside once more in 2017.
Again the USA was the destination in 2018, with friendlies in New Jersey, Georgia and Washington. The most recent tour, in 2019, took in Asia where Juve visited Singapore, Nanjing and Seoul.
Now after two years of enforced stop, finally, we're off on our travels again!
