Massimo Bonini

Massimo Bonini is without a doubt the best San Marino player in the history of football. A legend of the country and of Juventus Turin, he will have left his mark on football in the 80s.

Trophies

Goals

488

Games

1976/77 Juvenes Serravalle (SMR)

1977/78 Bellaria Igea (ITA) 33 matches, 1 goal

1978/79 AC Forlì (ITA) 23 matches, 1 goal

1979/81 Cesena (ITA) 60 matches, 5 goals

1981/88 Juventus Turin (ITA) 246 matches, 5 goals

(Italian Championship: 192 matches, 5 goals)

(Italian Cup: 10 matches)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup: 29 matches)

(UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 9 matches)

(UEFA Cup: 4 matches)

(UEFA Super Cup: 1 match)

(Intercontinental Cup: 1 match)

1988/92 Bologna (ITA) 107 matches, 5 goals

(Italian Championship: 73 matches, 4 goals)

(Italian Championship D2: 23 matches)

(Italian Cup: 5 matches)

(UEFA Cup: 6 matches, 1 goal)

With the National Team :

San Marino :

19 caps

(Friendly match: 1 cap)

(World Cup qualifier: 9 caps)

(Euro qualifier: 9 caps)

1st cap: November 14, 1990 against Switzerland (0-4)

Last cap: June 7, 1995 against Russia (0-7)

Italy :

U23: 9 caps

Massimo Bonini

Born October 13, 1959 in San Marino (SMR)

San Marino, Defensive-midfielder, 1m78

From amateur football to the best club in Europe

Massimo Bonini was born on October 13, 1959 in San Marino, he first played in his country's clubs before finally joining Italy in 1977 when he was only 17 years old. Very good with the ball, he is a defensive midfielder with great technical qualities.

He has very good qualities, being a very complete midfielder. He has good relaxation, very good endurance, good dribbling and passing skills but above all excellent defensive skills, very good in anticipation, he is a ball scraper, recovering the ball several times per match. A very good leader, he had real determination and excellent vision of the game coupled with great calm.

Playing in the lower divisions of Italy, in Serie D, Serie C and then Serie B, he finally made a name for himself after being recruited by Juventus Turin, then perhaps the best club in the country. Bonini then made an exception in his native country by joining the elite of Italian football.

The balance player of the Great Juventus of the 80s

He was part of the great Juventus team of the 80s. With the Old Lady, he won 3 Serie A, 1 Champions League, 1 Cup Winners' Cup, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 Italian Cup, enough to have one of the best records in the history of Italian football. Just that.

Alongside a certain Michel Platini, he is the symbol of balance in midfield, bringing defensive quality and serenity. He was also voted the best young player in European football in 1983.

A shadow player, he used his athletic skills to recover the ball and lighten Michel Platini's defensive workload. Having played with the Italian youth team, he would ultimately never wear the Azzuro jersey with the first team, as he was loyal to his native country, San Marino.

A lover of his native land

He had to wait until he was 30 to honor his first cap with San Marino in 1990. The reason? Before that, San Marino did not have a national team. The player had therefore refused all offers from the Italian national selection in the hope of one day being able to play for his country, which he did.

In total, he played 19 matches for San Marino, a passion for his country that would never have won with him, having a catastrophic record of an average of 5 goals conceded per match with Bonini. Voted the best player in his country for the last 50 years in 2004 by UEFA, he will forever remain the very first San Marino player to have broken through to the highest level.