As football fans we are dedicated 100% to the cause of the teams we support, and we implore our idols and heroes on the pitch to do the same. But as the game has developed over the years, we have begun to learn that there is no loyalty in football.



In contemporary football, where the lure of money and major trophies seems to tempt players away from the clubs where they once kissed the emblem upon their shirt in histrionic celebration, the ‘one-club player’ is a rare species.

Del Piero is one of those few players who will be forever recognised for their impenetrable loyalty to their club – along with Francesco Totti, Steven Gerrard, Tony Adams, Ryan Giggs etc. The 37 year-old Italian has played with his beloved Juventus from the age of 18, featuring in 19 seasons including the 2006/7 season when Juventus where stripped of the Scudetto and relegated to Serie B over the Serie A match fixing scandal known as Calciopoli.

Over the course of his career, Del Piero made over 700 appearances for Juventus scoring 290 goals. He won 6 Serie A titles (excluding the 2 stripped from Juventus in Calciopoli), one UEFA Champions League title, one FIFA World Cup and a UEFA European Championship.

He is Juventus’ all-time top scorer. Among his individual honours are the 2007 Golden Foot award, two- time Italian Footballer of the Year and 2010 Sportsman of the Year Golden Award.

He is Italy’s fourth all-time leading scorer and also captaining the national side 7 times.

Del Piero waved goodbye to a 40,000 strong crowd in Turin in one of the most emotional farewells that football has ever seen. The Italian favourite gave a lap of honour after his final game for the Bianconeri where fans were seen crying, begging, pleading for one more year. Black and white scarves were flung at his magical feet as he passed each section of the crowd. Overcome with emotion, Del Piero later admitted that he pretended to tie his boots so the crowd would not see him crying.

The little Italian shown in that match that he still has the quality to compete at the top level of the game with an accurate curled shot into the corner of the net, just outside the D.

On 56 minutes the little Italian was substituted and it became clear that this would be the last time he would play for his beloved Juventus. The stadium erupted into a rapturous round of applause and cheers from both sets of fans, players and management staff. Commentators swelled up with the emotion. The captain took a long time making his way towards the bench waving and blowing kisses to his adoring supporters for the last time in Juventus colours.

When Del Piero took his place on the bench, the crowd continued their boisterous deafening chanting, so much so, that their captain had to stand up with melancholic eyes and wave another emotional goodbye. The feeling was most certainly reciprocated! The Juventus fans continued the entire game with their raucous cheering and chanting, with the cameramen focusing more on the crying close up faces of supporters, rather than the match itself, which seemed insignificant at the time. This is what football is truly about. A love of the game shared so passionately by players and fans alike.

The famous Bill Shankly quote springs to mind - "People believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you that it is much, much more important than that."

Publicly stating that he will continue playing until he is 40, and finishing his Juventus career with a Serie A title and an undefeated league season, it is clear that Alessandro Del Piero has bowed out on top. Sydney FC is where the Italian has been playing his football since, and is likely to stay there until he retires in 2 years.

Alessandro Del Piero's last football match for Juventus can be seen in the above video, featuring his goal and his magnificently emotional send off. One of the all time greats and best players of my generation, it is well worth a watch. Go on!