We love partnerships in football - telepathic duos in midfield, striking double acts and manager-captain bonds. But few partnerships in the modern history of international football have had the strength and synergy of Italy’s defensive trio: Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
They were known, affectionately, if slightly ironically, as the BBC. Not an ode to impartial broadcasting, but to the last bastion of proper Italian defending. At their best, they were carrying the torch of catenaccio into a changing game, modernising it but maintaining its near impenetrability.
Their journey began in Turin, but this isn’t a Juventus story. What makes the BBC truly special is how their Serie A familiarity became a cornerstone of the national side - a rare continuity in the churn of modern football.
By the time Euro 2016 rolled around, Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini had become a unit for club and country. Under head coach Antonio Conte - himself a Juve man - the Italians leaned on the strength of this trio. Together, they played with an understanding that can’t be coached.
The round of 16 match against holders Spain remains their finest hour. That night at the Stade de France, Italy were rock solid. Every time David Silva slipped into the half space, he found an Andrea Barzagli-shaped wall. Every time Álvaro Morata tried to turn, he met Giorgio Chiellini’s chiselled shoulder. Meanwhile, Leonardo Bonucci played the roles of sweeper and playmaker from the back.
The Azzurri won 2-0, with the opening goal coming from Chiellini himself. They had imposed their will on a Spanish team that had not so long ago inflicted a 4-0 humiliation in the Euro 2012 final.
The friendship between the three men mattered too. In interviews, there was an obvious affection between the group. They laughed together and went into battle for each other. Despite a Bonucci goal in the Euro 2016 quarter final against Germany, Italy eventually lost on penalties. Sadly, the curtain fell on what felt like their last chance at European glory together.
By Euro 2020, played in 2021 due to Covid delays, Barzagli had retired from football. Bonucci and Chiellini were still hanging around - older, wiser and no less driven. Against the odds, they lifted the trophy, beating England on their own patch. It wasn’t quite the BBC, but it was a fitting epilogue.
Manager Roberto Mancini had justifiably trusted an aging two thirds of the famous trinity to form the base of his spine. Leonardo Bonucci had scored the equaliser that took the final to penalties, where Italy emerged victorious. He left with a player of the match award as well as a winner’s medal.
In an age of tactical innovation and revolving door squads, the BBC represented stability, loyalty and consistency. They weren’t just Italy’s defence. For over a decade, they were the Azzurri’s backbone. An era bookended by Fabio Cannavaro and Marco Materazzi’s 2006 World Cup masterclass and Euro glory at Wembley.