ANDREA BARZAGLI | Juventus & Italy

Now 35, yet still one of the finest defenders on the planet. Indeed, nobody was in the least bit surprised that Juventus renewed his contract for a further two years on May 11 or that new Italy boss Giampiero Ventura persuaded Barzagli to reverse his decision to retire after an impeccable Euro 2016 campaign in France. That tournament ended with a wonderfully emotional interview that perfectly illustrated his enduring passion for the game.