[2] Boninsegna gained a status as an efficient striker with Inter Milan and the Italy national team in the 1970s, playing alongside Sandro Mazzola.

[1][3] He transferred to Juventus FC in 1976 in exchange for Pietro Anastasi,[4][1] and he played three seasons for the club, winning two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, and an UEFA Cup.

[1][6] Boninsegna was a member of the Italian side that reached the final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, scoring two goals throughout the tournament.

[4][8] He was also gifted with pace, stamina, technical ability, opportunism and outstanding consistency, which enabled him to become one of the top Italian forwards of his generation.

[1] Because of his jumping ability and his power and accuracy with his head, the Italian sports journalist Gianni Brera gave him the nickname "Bonimba".