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Hard-nosed former international Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci went viral over the weekend for showing no mercy in a tackle on a female former England defender during a charity match.
During the SoccerAid charity match in Manchester over the weekend, 38-year-old Italian former centerback Leonardo Bonucci — who spent a majority of his career with Juventus in the Italian Serie A — went viral for putting in a crunching tackle on former England defender Steph Houghton.
Both Bonucci and Houghton are considered to be among the greatest centerbacks of their generation and both retired following the 2024 season.
Bonucci Not about the Woke life 🤣🤣🤣#SoccerAid pic.twitter.com/CuQVwmL5RM
— Amit (@amit_mavar) June 15, 2025
All was well between the two athletes after the game, however, with Bonucci taking to Instagram to share a photo of the pair with the caption “She’s still alive!!”. Houghton then re-posted the picture to her own Instagram story with the caption “My guy.”
Houghton, 37 years old, began her professional career in 2002 and played for the English clubs Sunderland, Leeds United, Arsenal, and Manchester City over the course of her 22-year-long career.
As for Bonucci, he won Serie A nine times whole playing for Juventus and also helped lead Italy to the 2020 European Championship, even scoring the equalizing goal in the final against England (which Italy eventually won on penalties).
SoccerAid, which first began in 2006, is a celebrity soccer match that benefits the charity UNICEF UK. The exhibition-style match features two teams, England and the Soccer Aid World XI, with both teams consisting of former pros and celebrities.