1897: the kick-off

1 November 1897: while sitting on a bench in Corso Re Umberto, a group of boys from the Liceo D'Azeglio in Turin decided to found a sporting association with the main aim of playing football. According to the legend, this led to the start of Juventus: a classic and historic name for a new and exciting sport that had begun to spread throughout Europe, mainly in Great Britain. The club, whose first president was Enrico Canfari, played successfully against other much more expert teams in the city. Matches were held in Piazza d'Armi and throughout these early years the players wore pink shirts with which they made their debut in the 1900 Championship. The decision to change to a black and white shirt, imported directly from Nottingham, was taken in 1903. The conquest of the first Italian title, after a thrilling three-team final against Genoa and Milanese, was the crowing success which rewarded the pioneer's commitment. They boasted the first patron-cum-president, the Swiss Alfredo Dick, and benefited from the valuable contribution of a number of foreign strikers. Later, having fallen out with several players, Dick left the club to found the Torino football team, taking with him the best foreigners. Until the outbreak of the First World War, Juventus had to be content with a subordinate role compared to the dominant new teams, Pro Vercelli and Casale. But, immediately after the war, it regained its leading position with Giacone as goalkeeper and Novo and Bruna, the first footballers to play in the national team, as defenders. The president was the poet and literary figure Corradino Corradini, author of the club anthem that continued to be used until the 1960s.

The dawn of the great Juventus

Giampiero Combi, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all times, made his debut in the first team in 1923 and Edoardo Agnelli, son of the founder of Fiat, was elected as the new president of the club. For the first time, the team also had its very own playing field in Corso Marsiglia, a real brick stadium that could accommodate the growing number of fans. This period also saw the arrival of the first real coach, Jeno Karoly, and midfielder Hirzer, both Hungarians. Combi, Rosetta, Munerati, Bigatto and Grabbi were already playing for the team: in 1925-26 it won its second championship after an exciting final against Bologna and a grand final against Alba Roma the outcome of which was predictable.

The first successes

This was the lead-up to the five consecutive shields won in the Thirties, with Carlo Carcano as coach and champions of the calibre of Orsi, Caligaris, Monti, Cesarini, Varglien I and II, Bertolini, Ferrari and Borel II. Juve, which won without a break from 1930 to 1935, also contributed decisively to the national team which triumphed in the 1934 World Cup in Rome. Moreover, the team also experienced its first taste of international football when it took part in the European Cup, the forerunner of what is now the Champions League, in which it played through to the semi-finals on four occasions. In 1933 Juventus also changed its playing field: this marked the start of the epic of the Municipal Stadium, built to host the World University Games. The team continued to play here until the finals of the first leg of the 1989/90 UEFA Cup.

The start of a legendary cycle

In 1947, immediately after the end of the Second World War, Giovanni Agnelli became president of the club. The best known champions were now Carlo Parola, the Danish players John Hansen and Praest, and above all Giampiero Boniperti, who holds the team record for appearances (444) and goals (178). The national championships of 1950 and 1952 were won amidst the thunderous applause of thronging fans. In 1953 Giovanni Agnelli resigned from the presidency which would pass two years later to his brother Umberto. Following the arrival of Omar Sivori and John Charles, the black and whites carried off the national championship shield in 1958, 1960 and 1961, with the added acclaim of being the first football team in Italy to win the right to sew a star onto their shirts having won ten national titles.

Fifteen years of successes

Having triumphed again in the 1967 National Championships (under the presidency of Vittore Catella), Juve embarked on a long series of victories under the presidency of its best known champion, Giampiero Boniperti. A total of nine shields were won in fifteen years (1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986), and the team also triumphed in European and Intercontinental Championships: the UEFA Cup (first success in 1977), the European Cup Winners' Cup (1984), the European Cup, the Super Cup and the World Club Championship (1985). The club was led during this period by Vycpalek, Parola and, above all, Giovanni Trapattoni, Leading foreign champions played alongside the great Italian players (from Zoff to Scirea, Tardelli, Cabrini, Causio, Paolo Rossi, Gentile, Furino, Anastasi and the current vice-president Roberto Bettega): above all, Michel Platini who in the five seasons he played with Juve won two National League Shields, two European Cups, one World Club Championship, was top of the table of leading goal-scorers on three occasions, and won three editions of the Golden Ball award. This spell of great triumphs in Italy and world-wide was followed by a less successful spell. Nonetheless, the team managed to bring home more victories, including the UEFA Cup-Italian Cup double in 1990 (with the present president Vittorio Caissotti di Chiusano in place of Boniperti and Dino Zoff as manager) and another UEFA Cup in 1993.

The last victories

In 1994 the change-over. A new managerial group represented by Mr. Antonio Giraudo, Mr. Roberto Bettega and Mr. Luciano Moggi took over Juventus F. C. management. Their first action was to choose a new coach: Mr. Marcello Lippi. At the end of the first season, after nine long years of abstinence, Juventus F.C. had won back the Italian Championship Shield. But not only this. The team dominates also in the Italian Cup and graze the big slam loosing the Champions League Final. This is just the beginning. The year after, season 1995/1996, starts with the victory of the sole trophy still missing in the Juventus' glass show case: the Italian League Super Cup. All efforts are any how concentrated on the Champions League, the Cup that Juventus won only in that dramatic night in Brussels. The black and whites get to The Final in Rome to compete for the Europe Champion Title with Ajax. The match is terrific, both teams struggle for 90 minutes, regular time ends draw (1-1), also extra time comes to nothing, everything has to be sorted out with penalty kicks. Peruzzi's ability, Ferrara, Pessotto, Padovano and Jugovic coolness give to million of supporters an unforgettable joy. The following season couldn't begin better, Juventus wins the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo and the European Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain. Yet emotions are not over, at the end of the season Juventus gain it's 24th Italian Championship Shield, whereas graze again the victory Champions League Cup. Juventus F.C. headed by Mr. Lippi tries again in 1997/1998 season. Won the Italian League Super Cup, eliminated in the Italian Cup final and then again as the previous year gets to a step from legend: wins its 25th Italian Championship Shield after a thrilling head to head with Inter and conquers the Champion League Final slipped out in favour of Real Madrid. But the story will go on ...