.jpg) Rugani withItaly in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Daniele Rugani[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1994-07-29)29 July 1994 (age 31)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Lucca,Tuscany, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back,full-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Juventus | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2013 | Empoli | ||
| 2012–2013 | →Juventus (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013– | Juventus | 122 | (8) |
| 2013–2015 | →Empoli (loan) | 78 | (5) |
| 2020–2021 | →Rennes (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2021 | →Cagliari (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | →Ajax (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Italy U17 | 13 | (3) |
| 2011–2012 | Italy U18 | 9 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Italy U19 | 11 | (0) |
| 2013 | Italy U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2014–2017 | Italy U21 | 19 | (2) |
| 2016– | Italy | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:57, 8 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Daniele Rugani (Italian pronunciation:[daˈnjɛːleruˈɡaːni]; born 29 July 1994) is an Italian professionalfootballer who plays as acentre-back orfull-back forSerie A clubJuventus and theItaly national team.
Rugani began his professional club career withEmpoli inSerie B in 2013, where he immediately helped the club achieve Serie A promotion, and was named the 2014Serie B Footballer of the Year. His defensive performances the following season saw him named to the 2015Serie A Team of the Year, and earned him a transfer to Juventus, where he won five consecutive Serie A titles, twoCoppa Italia titles, and twoSupercoppa Italiana titles.
At the international level, Rugani has represented theItaly U21 team at theUEFA European Under-21 Championship in2015 and2017, and made his senior debut in 2016.
Born inLucca, Italy, Rugani began his footballing career withTuscan sideEmpoli in 2000, at the age of 6.[2] He remained within the club'syouth academy for twelve full seasons, before being transferred toSerie A giantsJuventus on loan in August 2012, for €150,000 fee.[3] After joining Juventus, Rugani was registered with the club'sPrimavera (under-19) youth squad where he was a regular starter within the side during the 2012–13 season,[4] winning theCoppa Italia Primavera.[5]
After his successes during his first season with Juventus, Rugani was purchased by the club on 31 July 2013 in aco-ownership deal for €500,000[3][6] and then sent back to Empoli on a season-long loan deal ahead of their2013–14 Serie B campaign.
At age 20, Rugani was Empoli's star defender during their successful campaign, as he finished the season having made 40 appearances and scoring 2 goals for the club. He scored his first career goal from a header off of a corner on 22 March 2014, in a 4–0 home win overReggina.[7] The club finished the season in 2nd place, thus achieving automatic promotion toSerie A, alongside championsPalermo.[8]
On 18 June 2014, it was confirmed that the co-ownership agreement between the two clubs would be renewed, with the player remaining with newly promoted Empoli for the2014–15 Serie A campaign on loan from Juventus.[9] Rugani made his Serie A debut on 31 August 2014, at the age of 20, in a 2–0 away defeat to Udinese,[10] later scoring his first goal in Serie A on 20 September, in a 2–2 away draw against Cesena.[11] On 2 February 2015, Juventus bought out the remaining half of Daniele Rugani's registration rights from Empoli, for an additional €3.5 million.[12] Rugani was a key player for Empoli that season, appearing in all 38 of Empoli's league matches that season without being substituted or booked, in addition to scoring 3 goals, as the club finished the league in 15th place.[13][14][15]
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In the summer of 2015, Rugani officially returned to Juventus.[16] He made his debut with the club on 30 September 2015, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 home win overSevilla in theUEFA Champions League group stage, also making his European debut in the process.[17] He made his first start with the club on 16 December, in a 4–0 win over cross-city rivalsTorino in theDerby della Mole in the round of 16 of theCoppa Italia.[18] Hisleague debut with the club came four days later, as he came on for veteran defenderAndrea Barzagli in the 56th minute of a 3–2 away win overCarpi.[19] He made his first league start for the club in a 2–1 away win overSampdoria in Serie A, on 10 January 2016.[20] On 24 April, Rugani was booked for the first time in his entire Serie A career in his 53rd Serie A appearance. He received a yellow card in the 72nd minute of a 2–1 away win overFiorentina; he had last been carded at club level with Empoli, on 1 March 2014, in an awaySerie B fixture againstSiena.[21] FollowingNapoli's loss toRoma the following day, Juventus clinched the league title with three games to spare.[22]
On 21 September 2016, Rugani made his first appearance of the season and scored his first goal for Juventus, in a 4–0 home win overCagliari.[23] On 7 December, Rugani scored his first everUEFA Champions League goal on his third appearance in the competition, in a 2–0 home win overDinamo Zagreb.[24] On 14 December, Rugani extended his stay at Juventus, signing a new contract that would run until 2021.[25]
Following the sale ofLeonardo Bonucci toMilan in the summer of 2017, the2017–18 season saw Rugani receive more playing time in central defence with Juventus. In total, he made 22 Serie A appearances for Juventus, and 26 in all competitions, scoring two goals, both of which came in the league, as Juventus once again finished the season by winning a domestic double of the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles.[26][27]
On 30 March 2019, Rugani extended his contract with Juventus, keeping him at the club until June 2023.[28] He made his 100th appearance for Juventus on 29 July 2020, in a 2–0 away defeat to Cagliari, in Serie A.[29]
On 3 October 2020, Rugani was loaned out toRennes for the season at a cost of €1.5 million.[30]
On 1 February 2021, Rugani joinedCagliari on a six-month loan.[31] On 3 March 2021, Rugani scored his first goal for the club, in a home league match againstBologna that ended 1–0.[32]
On 25 February 2024, Rugani netted the decisive goal for Juventus, securing a 3–2 victory at home againstFrosinone, in addition to concluding his team's four-game winless run.[33] Later that year, on 24 May, he extended his contract with Juventus until 2026.[34]
_(4)_(Daniele_Rugani).jpg)
Daniele Rugani joinedAjax on a season-long loan from Juventus in August 2024.[35]
He made his debut for Ajax on 18 September 2024, coming on as a substitute in a 5–0Eredivisie win againstFortuna Sittard. Throughout the2024–25 season, Rugani featured in 26 matches across all competitions.[36]
Rugani's loan deal concluded in June 2025, with no permanent transfer option included.[36]
On 20 October 2025, Rugani renewed his contract with Juventus, this time until 30 June 2028.[37]
Rugani has representedItaly at various youth levels since 2010. His first cap for theunder-21 team came on 5 March 2014 in a European qualifier againstNorthern Ireland, in which he scored the first goal for theazzurini in a 2–0 victory.[38]
On 9 November 2014, he was called up byAntonio Conte to the senior Italy squad ahead of aUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match againstCroatia and a friendly againstAlbania.[39]
With theItaly U-21 he took part at the2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship under managerLuigi Di Biagio.[40]
On 31 May 2016, Rugani was named one of three reserves forAntonio Conte'ssenior side forEuro 2016.[41]
Rugani made his senior international debut on 1 September 2016, with newly appointed coachGian Piero Ventura, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 friendly defeat toFrance.[42][43]
In June 2017, he was included in the Italy under-21 squad for the2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship by manager Di Biagio.[44] Italy were eliminated in the semifinals following a 3–1 defeat toSpain on 27 June.[45]
Rugani is a tall, tactically versatile, and physically strong centre-back, who is good in the air, both defensively and offensively. He is known in particular for his anticipation, intelligence, and marking ability, despite his lack of notable pace or mobility.[46][47][48] He is also considered to be a correct player,[47][49] who often avoids committing to challenges, preferring to restrict his opponents through his positioning.[50] Due to his confidence in possession, he is capable of playing the ball out from the back-line.[47][48][51] Regarded as one of the most promising young Italian players of his generation,[52] in 2015, he was named one of the best players in the world born after 1994, byDon Balón.[53]
Rugani has been in a relationship with Italian journalist Michela Persico since 2015;[54] the couple have a son together born in September 2020.[55]
On 11 March 2020, it was announced that Rugani tested positive forCOVID-19, while beingasymptomatic, amid itspandemic in Italy.[56][57] He became the first reported player in Serie A to have tested positive for COVID-19.[58]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Empoli (loan) | 2013–14 | Serie B | 40 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 42 | 2 | ||
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 38 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 3 | |||
| Total | 78 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 81 | 5 | ||||
| Juventus | 2015–16 | Serie A | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | Serie A | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 1 | 1[c] | 0 | 20 | 3 | |
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | |
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2019–20 | Serie A | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 17 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 18 | 3 | |||
| 2024–25 | Serie A | — | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2025–26 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 122 | 8 | 13 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 156 | 11 | ||
| Rennes (loan) | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| Cagliari (loan) | 2020–21 | Serie A | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Ajax (loan) | 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 15 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9[e] | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | |
| Career total | 232 | 14 | 18 | 3 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 281 | 18 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2016 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 0 | |
Juventus[8]
Individual
