1. Personal Information
Daniele Rugani was born on 29 July 1994, in Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. He stands at 74 in (188 cm) and weighs 172 lb (78 kg). His primary playing position is centre-back, but he is also capable of playing as a full-back. He is right-footed.
2. Early Career
Rugani began his football career at the age of six in 2000, joining the youth academy of Empoli, a Tuscan club. He remained within Empoli's youth system for twelve seasons, developing his skills before making a significant move. In August 2012, he was transferred to Serie A giants Juventus on a loan deal for 150.00 K EUR.
Upon joining Juventus, Rugani was registered with the club's Primavera (under-19) youth squad. He quickly established himself as a regular starter during the 2012-13 season, a period during which he notably won the Coppa Italia Primavera with the team. Following his successful first season with Juventus, the club acquired full co-ownership rights for Rugani on 31 July 2013, for an additional 500.00 K EUR. He was then immediately sent back to Empoli on a season-long loan ahead of their 2013-14 Serie B campaign, allowing him to gain further professional experience.
3. Club Career
Daniele Rugani's professional club career has seen him play for Empoli, Juventus, and several clubs on loan, accumulating numerous titles and significant experience in both domestic and European competitions.
3.1. Empoli FC
Rugani's time at Empoli marked a crucial period in his development as a professional footballer. During the 2013-14 Serie B season, at just 20 years old, he emerged as a key defender for Empoli. He made 40 appearances and scored 2 goals for the club, playing a pivotal role in their successful campaign. Empoli finished the season in second place, securing automatic promotion to Serie A alongside champions Palermo. His first career goal came from a header off a corner kick on 22 March 2014, in a 4-0 home victory over Reggina.
On 18 June 2014, the co-ownership agreement between Empoli and Juventus was renewed, ensuring Rugani remained with the newly promoted Empoli for the 2014-15 Serie A season on loan from Juventus. He made his Serie A debut on 31 August 2014, in a 2-0 away defeat to Udinese. He scored his first Serie A goal on 20 September in a 2-2 away draw against Cesena. On 2 February 2015, Juventus bought out the remaining half of Rugani's registration rights from Empoli for an additional 3.50 M EUR, securing his full ownership.
Rugani was an indispensable player for Empoli during the 2014-15 season, appearing in all 38 of the club's league matches without being substituted or receiving a single booking. This impressive disciplinary record, which saw him avoid a yellow card for 53 consecutive Serie A appearances, highlighted his tactical intelligence and clean defensive play. He also contributed 3 goals during this season, as Empoli finished 15th in the league, successfully avoiding relegation. His performances earned him significant recognition, including being named the 2014 Serie B Footballer of the Year and being included in the 2015 Serie A Team of the Year.
3.2. Juventus FC
In the summer of 2015, Rugani officially returned to Juventus. He made his debut for the club on 30 September 2015, coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 home victory over Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League group stage, marking his European debut. His first start for Juventus came on 16 December in a 4-0 win against cross-city rivals Torino in the Derby della Mole during the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia.
Rugani's league debut with Juventus occurred four days later, on 20 December, when he replaced veteran defender Andrea Barzagli in the 56th minute of a 3-2 away win over Carpi. He made his first league start for the club on 10 January 2016, in a 2-1 away victory over Sampdoria in Serie A. On 24 April, Rugani received his first yellow card in his entire Serie A career during his 53rd appearance in the league, in a 2-1 away win against Fiorentina. This marked his first booking at club level since 1 March 2014, during a Serie B fixture with Empoli against Siena. Following Napoli's loss the next day, Juventus clinched the league title with three games remaining.
On 21 September 2016, Rugani made his first appearance of the season and scored his inaugural goal for Juventus in a 4-0 home win over Cagliari. On 7 December, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in his third appearance in the competition, contributing to a 2-0 home victory against Dinamo Zagreb. On 14 December, Rugani extended his contract with Juventus until 2021.
Following the sale of Leonardo Bonucci to Milan in the summer of 2017, Rugani saw increased playing time in central defence during the 2017-18 season. He made 22 Serie A appearances and 26 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals, both in the league, as Juventus once again secured a domestic double by winning both the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles. On 30 March 2019, Rugani further extended his contract with Juventus, committing to the club until June 2023. He reached his 100th appearance for Juventus on 29 July 2020, in a 2-0 away defeat to Cagliari in Serie A.
On 25 February 2024, Rugani scored the decisive goal for Juventus, securing a 3-2 home victory against Frosinone and ending his team's four-game winless streak. Later that year, on 24 May, he extended his contract with Juventus until 2026.
3.3. Loan Spells
Rugani has had several loan spells to gain more playing time and experience away from Juventus.
3.3.1. Loan to Rennes
On 3 October 2020, Rugani was loaned to French club Rennes for the season, with the loan costing 1.50 M EUR.
3.3.2. Loan to Cagliari
On 1 February 2021, Rugani joined Cagliari on a six-month loan deal. He scored his first goal for the club on 3 March 2021, in a 1-0 home league match against Bologna.
3.3.3. Loan to Ajax
On 21 August 2024, Rugani moved on loan to Ajax in the Netherlands for the 2024-25 season.
4. International Career
Daniele Rugani has represented Italy at various youth levels since 2010, eventually making his debut for the senior national team.
4.1. Youth career
Rugani's youth international career began in 2010, playing for various Italian youth national teams. His first cap for the under-21 team came on 5 March 2014, in a European qualifier against Northern Ireland. In this match, he scored the opening goal for the Azzurrini (Italian U21 team) in a 2-0 victory. He participated in the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship under manager Luigi Di Biagio. In June 2017, he was again included in the Italy under-21 squad for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Italy was eliminated in the semifinals of the latter tournament, following a 3-1 defeat to Spain on 27 June.
4.2. Senior career
On 9 November 2014, Rugani received his first call-up to the senior Italy squad from coach Antonio Conte, ahead of a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Croatia and a friendly against Albania. On 31 May 2016, he was named as one of three reserves for Antonio Conte's senior side for UEFA Euro 2016, though he did not make the final tournament squad.
Rugani made his senior international debut on 1 September 2016, under newly appointed coach Gian Piero Ventura. He came on as a substitute in a 3-1 friendly defeat to France, a match that also marked Ventura's debut as Italy's coach. He continued to make appearances for the national team in 2017 and 2018.
5. Style of Play
Daniele Rugani is characterized as a tall, tactically versatile, and physically strong centre-back. He is particularly effective in aerial duels, both defensively and when attacking set pieces. His playing style is noted for his excellent anticipation, tactical intelligence, and strong marking ability. Despite not possessing exceptional pace or mobility, he compensates with his astute positioning, often preferring to restrict opponents through his defensive alignment rather than committing to aggressive challenges. This approach has led to him being described as a "correct player" due to his disciplined and clean style, which was notably demonstrated during his time at Empoli where he went an entire Serie A season without receiving a single booking.
Furthermore, Rugani is confident in possession of the ball, enabling him to effectively play out from the back-line and contribute to his team's build-up play. He has been regarded as one of the most promising young Italian players of his generation. In 2015, the Spanish football magazine Don Balón recognized him as one of the best young talents in the world born after 1994.
6. Personal Life
Daniele Rugani has been in a relationship with Italian journalist Michela Persico since 2015. The couple welcomed their son in September 2020.
On 11 March 2020, it was announced that Rugani had tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first reported player in Serie A to contract the virus amidst the pandemic in Italy. He was asymptomatic at the time of his diagnosis.
7. Career Statistics
7.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Empoli (loan) | 2013-14 | 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 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| 2016-17 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 3 | ||
| 2017-18 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | ||
| 2018-19 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2019-20 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2021-22 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | ||
| 2022-23 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2023-24 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 18 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 117 | 8 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 148 | 11 | ||
| Rennes (loan) | 2020-21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| Cagliari (loan) | 2020-21 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 1 | |||
| Ajax (loan) | 2024-25 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | - | 20 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 222 | 14 | 18 | 3 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 267 | 18 | ||
7.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2016 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 0 | |
8. Honours
8.1. Club
Juventus
- Serie A: 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20
- Coppa Italia: 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2023-24
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2015, 2018
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2016-17
8.2. Individual
- Serie B Footballer of the Year: 2014
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2014-15