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Leonardo Bonucci showed this weekend that you cannot take Serie A from the man, but you can remove the man from Serie A. During Sunday’s Soccer Aid 2025 charity match at Old Trafford, the 37-year-old former Juventus and Italy centre-back reminded the world that defensive instincts don’t retire—even when the occasion is meant to be more UNICEF than UEFA. Bonucci made internet history with a slide tackle against England legend Stephhoughton.
Steph Houghton is the former England captain. Former England captain. National treasure. A woman was probably expecting an afternoon of banter and keepy-uppies. She got a full-throttled challenge from a guy who still thinks Giorgio Chiellini covers the other side.
The tackle that echoed through Trafford
The incident happened in the first period. Houghton passed the ball to midfield with her usual poise. Enter Bonucci—hurtling in with the controlled chaos of a late-train announcement—taking the ball, and, according to one witness, “a meaningful chunk of northern grassland.”
It was clean. Technically. Was it necessary to do so? Emotionally, yes—for Bonucci, at least. There must have been a small voice in his soul that whispered something like this: She’s in the space. “Close it down.”
Houghton struck the ground with the speed of a brick and the grace of a professional. Bonucci, unfazed, wandered off in true Italian fashion—hands calm, expression serene, as though waiting for a cappuccino, not a card.
Social Media: Absolute Calm
Within minutes the internet was ablaze.
Posts like “Bonucci tackled a National Icon in front of God, Gary Lineker and Gary Lineker” were common.
Another: “Steph Hutton got scythed just like it was 2015 Coppa Italy final.”
“Somewhere Roy Keane’s slow clapping is happening.”
Clips of the Moment spread quickly across all time zones, creating memes and commentary.
No hard feelings
It is not uncommon for professionals to have no animosity. Bonucci then posted a picture of him with Houghton to his Instagram story. The caption read: “She is still alive!!
Houghton returned the compliment with “My Guy”, displaying good sportsmanship and a sense of humour.
Soccer Aid is about raising money to help children and watching celebrities fluff their sitters. It’s also about seeing legends roll the years back. This year’s event also provided an important lesson. If you invite Leonardo Bonucci and his team to your home, it could be a disaster. What are you waiting for? Expect a tackle when you see goalposts. Bonucci can defend in any situation, be it a World Cup Final or a five-aside game on the school playground. Passionately. Entirely. And if you’re standing in the way—well, you’d better be wearing shin guards.
