Leonardo Bonucci has said he will retire from soccer in June 2024 once his contract with Juventus expires.

"When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era, a way of defending Italian style," Bonucci said. "I hope a lot of future defenders will see us four [former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and ex-defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli, all retired] as idols."

With Buffon at the back and alongside Chiellini and Barzagli, Bonucci was a member of one of the most formidable and long-standing defences in football at Juve and with Italy.

"Each of us benefitted from playing alongside the others," Bonucci said. "The biggest step was with [coach Antonio] Conte when he had the idea of playing all three of us together in a back three. That's where we won a lot of matches that led to those nine years of success. Together we achieved something that will go down in football history. But with Italy and Juventus the three of us have shown that we deserve a place on that list."