French connection: a dozen dazzling Juventus Gallic greats
Turin giants Juventus have enjoyed a successful season so far in both Serie A and the Champions League, having secured a narrow 1-0 first leg lead over European opposition and Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.
Ahead of the Old Lady’s visit to the Stade Louis II in the south of France for their quarter-final second leg encounter, Coral writers outline a long-standing French connection within the Italian side’s past and present squads.
Paul Pogba
France and Juventus’ current star man Pogba is carrying much expectation upon his young shoulders, having risen to prominence in the Serie A with his sensational showings, following a departure from Old Trafford in 2012.
The Manchester United youth product is attracting interest from all over Europe with his mature performances in the heart of the Turin giants’ midfield, having netted 10 goals in all competitions this term and helping his Italian club into their Champions League quarter-final outing.
Pogba is likely to miss the rest of this current campaign through injury though, with the Serie A leaders a 6/5 chance to topple Monaco on their travels without the Frenchman.
Watch Pogba score two thunderbolts for Juventus in a Serie A clash with Udinese.
Patrick Vieira
Famed for his nine-year trophy-laden career at Arsenal, former towering midfielder Vieira also enjoyed a successful season with the Girlfriend of Italy.
The feisty Frenchman helped lift the Scudetto, which was later stripped from the club and, also helped his country earn a World Cup triumph in 1998 and European Championship coup two years later.
Zinedine Zidane
Before becoming a vital member of the Galacticos in 2001, legendary France international playmaker Zidane spent five fantastic years at Juventus, winning two Serie A titles, but was disappointingly on the losing side in back-to-back Champions League finals in 1997 and 1998.
Watch Zidane at his majestic best for the Turin outfit, including a stunning free-kick against Roma.
Michel Platini
The current UEFA President spent five years at Juventus, where the former France international rallied to an incredible three Ballon d’Or awards, having secured a double of Italian league crowns and a European Cup Winners’ Cup victory during his time in Turin.
Thierry Henry
Arsene Wenger snapped up the rapid Frenchman from Juventus in 1999 and quickly helped him switch from a swift wideman into a prolific Premier League goalscorer. The former Gunners captain made just 16 appearances for the dominant Turin outfit, after moving from Monaco for a reported £10.5m.
His former French club are a 12/5 chance to topple the present Serie A leaders on home soil in 90 minutes.
Watch rare footage of Henry in his Juventus days, including a double of superb Serie A strikes.
David Trezeguet
Former France international sharpshooter Trezeguet made over 300 appearances for the Old Lady, striking 171 times in a prolific 10-year Serie A career. The retired poacher is his country’s third all-time scorer and famously netted that Golden Goal in the 2000 European Championship final.
Watch Trezeguet smash home the Golden Goal in extra time of the Euro 2000 final in Rotterdam.
Kingsley Coman
Regarded as one of the next big talents in Italian football, the tricky France Under-21 winger has begun to make an impact in Juventus’ first-team and is sure to be a star in the near future.
Nicolas Anelka
The journeyman striker has featured across Europe’s top divisions since bursting on to the scene in his native France for PSG, before joining Arsenal in 1997.
Anelka joined Juventus on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in 2013, but only managed to make three outings and failed to score, a stark contrast to his previously prolific stints at Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea.
Lilian Thuram
The dominant defensive giant is the most capped player in the history of the France national team, having made 142 appearances, and the majority as skipper. Spending five years in Turin, Thuram helped lift two Italian top-flight titles, after previously plying his trade at Juventus’ current Champions League opponents Monaco.
Jonathan Zebina
Versatile defender Zebina was only ever capped once for France, although he featured heavily for Juventus for six years, making over 100 club appearances.
Patrice Evra
The former Red Devils full back is currently involved in Juventus’ bid to topple another one of his old employers Monaco. Evra lifted the French league crown in 2003 with the Red and Whites and also already tasted European glory with United in 2008, something his current employers are 7/1 to do so themselves this year.
Didier Deschamps
The present France national boss enjoyed a highly-decorated career in Turin, claiming three league crowns and 1996 Champions League victory.
