“Winning is not important, it’s the only thing that counts.” It is a phrase that has served as the Juventus motto ever since the legendary Giampiero Boniperti first uttered it decades ago, the former Captain and Honorary President of the club giving them a sentence that has served simultaneously as both mission statement and raison d’être ever since.
In the intervening years it has been stitched inside the Bianconeri shirt, used as a rallying call during difficult times and repeated by players in interviews on countless occasions, and earlier this week it came to the fore once again when Claudio Marchisio used it as the central theme in his farewell letter to the club’s fans.
It was his first statement since it was announced he would be leaving Juventus, his contract terminated by mutual consent during last week’s Italian transfer deadline day. That leaves him free to sign for another club at any time, with talk of a move to AS Monaco or MLS featuring prominently in the news ever since. Both are viable short-term options, with the Ligue 1 side being based close to his current home and the 32-year-old making no secret of his love for America and all it has to offer.
Yet the one thing his social media post made clear was just how difficult it will be to walk away from the only team he has ever played for. Born in Turin back in 1986, Marchisio joined the Juventus academy seven years later and had remained their ever since, also working as a ball boy at the Stadio delle Alpi as he progressed through the ranks. Making his first team debut during the 2006/07 campaign, almost 400 appearances have followed and the man known as Il Principino – “the little Prince” – recalled those early days fondly as he said goodbye.
“When you’re a child with a dream, a child among many, you know that for the Juve shirt, you’ll have to be the best. Always,” he wrote, each sentence punctuated with Boniperti’s omnipotent quote. “When you grow up, when your dream is almost real, you don’t let it get to your head. You work hard in the shadows of your idols forever and give the best of yourself every day for the shirt because those stripes, once sewn on me, equate to pride, joy and responsibility.
“When those idols finally become your teammates, you have to be stronger than the legs that tremble at the idea of entering the field in single file among them. Del Piero, [Pavel] Nedved, [Gigi] Buffon, [David] Trezeguet, [Mauro] Camoranesi and all the others, because everyone knows that, to honour this shirt, you must do your bit.”
It was that work ethic and dedication that ensured Marchisio earned, deserved and then continually retained his place in the side. A succession of players arrived to supplant him in the team, only for Coach after Coach – from Didier Deschamps and Claudio Ranieri, to Antonio Conte and eventually Max Allegri – to realise that the team was better when the no.8 was in the lineup.
His style of play changed, from the all-action, box-to-box goal scorer of his younger days to a classy, unflappable playmaker in later years, but one thing never changed. That nervousness at being on the field alongside Del Piero, Trezeguet and Buffon stemmed from the fact that he grew up idolising them, cheering on Juventus as a supporter, just as so many of us have done from the stands while he has been playing. Marchisio sees the world in black and white.
“Winning isn’t important, it’s the only thing that matters. This doesn’t just apply to us players but also for every single fan,” his letter continued. “Juventus win because they’re the best on and off the field. When you stick to your agreement of doing everything possible to never disappoint those fans, who are the most loyal, sincerest and best in the world.” That is a huge part of why Marchisio meant so much to the Bianconeri fanbase. Of course the club has had bigger stars, they’ve even lost higher profile players, but few have meant as much to supporters than the homegrown midfielder.
He got to live the dream of many fans, pulling on the shirt and running out on the pitch at Juventus Stadium, even captaining the side on many occasions as his longevity and stature saw him become a pillar of the team. In short, he became an idol, a club legend and a beloved figure. Ending his heartfelt letter by saying “I’ll always be part of it, wherever I will be,” Marchisio was effectively admitting that even now, as he looks for a new club, a new challenge and a new adventure, he will never truly say goodbye to the Old Lady.
She might not need him on the field anymore and Boniperti might have said that winning is all that matters, but some players can transcend even that famous decree. Some things are more important than victories, and for Juventus supporters, Claudio Marchisio being “one of us” is high on that list.
Grazie Principino, e ci vediamo.
