Founding of Juventus Football Club (1897)

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In Their Own Story

In late 1897, a group of students from the Massimo d'Azeglio Lyceum school in Turin gathered to form a football club. Among them were Eugenio and Enrico Canfari, who helped establish Sport-Club Juventus. The club's original colors were pink and black, not the iconic black-and-white stripes that would come later. In 1899, the club was renamed Foot-Ball Club Juventus. Their first competitive match came on 11 March 1900, a 1–0 loss to Torinese in the Italian Football Championship. The early years were marked by financial instability until businessman Marco Ajmone-Marsan stepped in during 1904 to stabilize the club's finances, allowing the team to move its training ground from Piazza d'Armi to the Velodrome Humbert I. In 1905, Juventus won its first Italian championship, a breakthrough that set the stage for future dominance.

Reader's Guide

Juventus was founded in late 1897 by students from the Massimo d'Azeglio Lyceum school in Turin, including Eugenio and Enrico Canfari. The original name was Sport-Club Juventus, later changed to Foot-Ball Club Juventus in 1899. The club's first kit colors were pink and black, not the black-and-white stripes they would adopt later, inspired by English side Notts County. Juventus entered the Italian Football Championship in 1900, playing their first league match on 11 March 1900, a 1–0 defeat to Torinese. In 1904, businessman Marco Ajmone-Marsan helped stabilize the club's finances, enabling a move to the Velodrome Humbert I. The club won its first Italian championship in 1905. In 1906, internal disagreements led president Alfred Dick and several players to leave and form FBC Torino, creating the foundations of the Derby della Mole. Juventus spent the following years rebuilding and remained active through the disruptions of World War I. In 1913, Juventus was relegated to the second division after finishing in last place, but after pressure from their executives to the Italian Federation, the number of teams was increased for the following season, allowing Juventus to remain in the top flight.

Did You Know?

• Juventus was founded as Sport-Club Juventus in late 1897 by students from the Massimo d'Azeglio Lyceum school in Turin, including Eugenio and Enrico Canfari.
• The club's original kit colors were pink and black, not the famous black-and-white stripes.
• Juventus played their first league match on 11 March 1900, losing 1–0 to Torinese.
• The Velodrome Humbert I was used as a training ground in the club's early years, but claims that Marco Ajmone-Marsan stabilized finances in 1904 and moved training there are not supported by widely documented evidence.
• Juventus won its first Italian championship in 1905.