Juventus: Glory, Grief, and Controversy in the Long Journey of Italy’s Greatest Club

Post by : Saif Nasser

Juventus is not just a football club in Italy. It is a symbol of success, power, pain, and controversy that has shaped Italian football for more than a century. Founded in 1897 by a group of school students in Turin, Juventus has grown into the most successful club in the country, while also facing some of the darkest moments in sports history.

The club’s name, taken from the Latin word for “youth,” reflected its humble beginnings. Success arrived early. Juventus won its first Italian league title in 1905. A major turning point came in 1923 when Edoardo Agnelli, from the powerful Fiat car-making family, became club president. Since then, the Agnelli family has remained closely tied to the club’s identity and control.

Juventus dominated Italian football during the early 1930s, winning five league titles in a row from 1930 to 1935. By 1958, the club had secured its 10th league championship, setting a standard few could match. Over the decades, Juventus built a reputation for discipline, consistency, and winning mentality.

European success followed. In 1977, Juventus lifted the UEFA Cup, marking its first major European trophy. However, triumph soon mixed with tragedy. In 1985, before the European Cup final against Liverpool in Belgium, a wall collapsed at Heysel Stadium after crowd violence. Thirty-nine Juventus fans lost their lives. Despite the tragedy, the match went ahead, and Juventus won 1–0. The victory remains deeply painful and controversial in the club’s history.

A major high point came in 1996, when Juventus won the Champions League by defeating Ajax Amsterdam on penalties. The club continued to collect domestic titles and became a global football brand.

That image collapsed in 2006 with the “Calciopoli” match-fixing scandal. Juventus were stripped of two league titles and relegated to Serie B, Italian football’s second division. It was a shocking fall for a club of its stature. Still, Juventus bounced back quickly, earning promotion to Serie A in 2007 despite a points penalty.

The club entered a new era in 2011 with the opening of its modern stadium in Turin. Big ambitions returned in 2018 when Cristiano Ronaldo joined from Real Madrid for around 100 million euros. Juventus went on to win nine straight league titles by 2020, bringing its total to 36.

Financial troubles soon followed. From 2021 onwards, Italian authorities investigated the club over accounting practices and player payments. Losses grew, and in 2022 the club reported a record annual loss of 254 million euros. That same year, Chairman Andrea Agnelli and the entire board resigned.

In 2023, Juventus accepted fines, points deductions, and a one-year ban from European competition for breaching financial rules. The punishments damaged the club’s image and finances, forcing a period of rebuilding.

In 2025, attention returned to ownership. Crypto firm Tether revealed it had built a stake in Juventus, later increasing it to over 10%. However, the Agnelli family made it clear they have no plans to sell the club, rejecting any takeover talks.

Juventus remains a club of extremes. Its history is filled with trophies, loyal fans, heartbreaking loss, and serious scandal. Yet through every crisis, the club has survived. Juventus’ story is not only about football wins, but about resilience, responsibility, and the heavy cost of success.