When it comes to the biggest names in the history of Juventus and Italian football, Gaetano Scirea holds a very special place.

The iconic defender joined the Bianconeri at the age of 21 after rising through the ranks of Atalanta. He never donned another jersey afterwards.

The great captain went on to lift all major trophies while valiantly serving the Old Lady. He was among the legendary generation of the 80’s which included the likes of Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile, Michel Platini, Paolo Rossi and Marco Tardelli.

After hanging his boots in 1988, he remained in the club’s service, acting as a scout. Unfortunately, his newly-adopted profession didn’t last long, reaching a tragic ending on the 3rd of September, 1989.

While on a scouting mission in Poland, Scirea sadly passed away in a car accident at the age of 36, leaving an entire nation in shock.

Today marks the 33th anniversary of the tragic event. Juventus paid tribute to their former captain on the club’s official website by remembering his great traits, both as a person and a player.

“Unforgettable and unforgettable. We had described Gaetano Scirea this way, on the occasion of the inauguration of the exhibition dedicated to him in 2019 at the Juventus Museum. Adjectives that break the barriers of time, as well as his class, on and off the pitch, whose purity remains unattainable after generations. In reality, when we describe such a great Champion and Man, words always become reductive and, after years, we continue to mix them in search of the best definition of a symbol of our history, an example of sport and life.

“For this reason, 33 years after that tragic night of 3 September 1989 in which “Gai” left us, we just want to hug the Gateano family and all the Juventus people to remember an unparalleled example, whose value goes beyond any word. Overall.

“Ciao Gateano. You will always be with us.”