08 June 2018
There have been 24 Juventus players who have won the World Cup, starting back in 1934, with the last set in 2006. Just two countries have profited from the Black and White, Italy and France, which was in fact the last subsequent final to involve Bianconeri cup winners.
The Italy squad of 1934 that won its first title on home soil, had nine Juve players: goalkeeper Gianpiero Combi, defenders Umberto Caligaris and Virginio Rosetta, midfielders Luigi Bertolini, Luis Monti and Mario Varglien, forwards Felice Borel, Giovanni Ferrari and Raimundo Orsi. Vittorio Pozzo’s Azzurri defeated Czechoslovakia in the final 2-1 after extra-time, with Orsi scoring Italy’s vital equaliser in the 81st minute.
Two Juventini were present in the 1938 team that successfully defended the cup in France. Defenders, Alfredo Foni and Pietro Rava were part of Pozzo’s squad, with the duo both starting in the final as Italy defeated Hungary 4-2.
Italy’s 1982 World Cup winning team had six Juve representatives, goalkeeper Dino Zoff, defenders Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, midfielder Marco Tardelli, and striker Paolo Rossi. After getting out of their first group with three draws, they were drawn with Brazil and Argentina in the second group. Italy played Argentina first and won 2-1 with both Tardelli and Cabrini got on the scoresheet, the Azzurri then faced Brazil who they overcame 3-2 as Rossi bagged a sensational hat-trick to advance Italy to the semi-finals.
In the semis, they took on Poland with Rossi again influential as he bagged a brace in a 2-0 win. West Germany awaited Italy in the final and after a goalless first half Italy went on to win 3-1 in the second period with Rossi once more and Tardelli scoring the historic goals that would see Italy become world champions for the third time. In addition, Paolo Rossi was awarded the tournament’s Golden Boot after scoring six goals.
In 1998 the tournament winners, France won their first World Cup as hosts beating Brazil 3-0 in the final. Didier Deschamps captained the side to victory, with former Bianconeri midfielder Zinedine Zidane scoring twice in the showpiece.
The last tournament to yield Juve World Cup winners was Italy’s 2006 team, coached by former Juventus manager, Marcello Lippi. Five Bianconeri players were as goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, defenders Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluca Zambrotta, midfielder Mauro Camoranesi and forward Alessandro Del Piero all made the squad for Germany.
En-route to the final Zambrotta scored the opener in a 3-0 win over Ukraine in the quarter-finals, whilst Del Piero scored a spectacular lob as Italy defeated Germany 2-0 after extra-time in the semi-finals. The final itself was decided on penalties after the two sides drew 1-1 after extra-time with Del Piero being amongst the five to convert in a 5-4 penalty shootout win for the Azzurri as they lifted World Cup number four in Berlin.
