Chiellini announces retirement at age 39

After more than two decades of a highly successful career, Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini bids farewell to football: “It’s time to start new chapters.” The defender’s last match was the MLS final, in which his team, Los Angeles FC (the Italian’s team), was defeated by Columbus Crew 2-1.

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Start of the Career

Chiellini made his professional debut at just 16 years old in 2000, playing for Livorno in Serie C, a competition he would win two seasons later.

The promising defender caught the attention of European giants in the 2003/04 season, helping Livorno finish third in Serie B, securing promotion to the elite. Chiellini played as a left-back, starting in 40 games and scoring 4 goals.

His standout season attracted Juventus, who signed him in 2004, but loaned him to Fiorentina for more playing time. His debut in Italian football’s top tier was in September 2004, marking the first of 42 matches played for Fiorentina. He continued as a left-back and scored 3 goals that season.

Leadership and Idolatry at Juventus

After an impressive season with Fiorentina, Chiellini was permanently signed by Juventus for the 2005/06 season. In his debut season, Juventus had initially won the Italian championship. However, due to the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal, the title was revoked, and Juventus was relegated to the second division for the first and only time.

In his first season, Chiellini played every game as a left-back. It was only in the second division, in his second season with Juventus, that coach Didier Deschamps started using him as a center-back, a position he never changed, becoming one of the great names in his generation in that position.

During Juventus’s most challenging period, Chiellini remained with the team, became a regular starter, and was crucial to winning the Serie B title.

Photo: Getty Images

The defender was the only player to win 9 consecutive national championships, becoming the second player with the most Italian championships, surpassed only by Buffon. However, excluding the Serie B title, it took 7 years for Chiellini to win his first title with the Old Lady. In the 2011/12 season, when Juventus won the Italian championship, Chiellini played 34 out of 38 games, and Antonio Conte’s team remained unbeaten throughout the competition.

This first title opened the doors to an unprecedented dominance in the history of the Italian Serie A, with Juventus winning 9 consecutive championships, with Chiellini as a standout in all of them. Three times Serie A Defender of the Year, Chiellini was named in the Italian league’s Team of the Year for five consecutive years, from 2012 to 2018.

The eighth Italian championship had a special significance for Chiellini as it was the first time he captained the team and lifted the trophy, as Gianluigi Buffon, the captain in the seven previous championships, left in 2018/19 for an unforgettable season with PSG.

Photo: Getty Images

In addition to the Italian championships, Giorgio Chiellini won 5 Italian Cups and 5 Supercups. However, he fell short twice in achieving the coveted Champions League title. In 2015, Juventus was defeated by Barcelona with Messi, Neymar, and Suárez, and in 2017, they were beaten by Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid.

One of the greatest players in Juventus’s history bid farewell on May 16, 2022, in the 2-2 draw with Lazio. After 17 years with the Turin team, Chiellini played 561 matches (third with the most games, only behind Alessandro Del Piero and Buffon), scored 56 goals, and won 20 different trophies.

Chiellini’s Stint with LAFC

On June 13, 2022, at the age of 39, Chiellini began his journey with Los Angeles FC. He made 45 appearances (38 as a starter) in all competitions, including seven appearances in the MLS playoffs and three appearances in the 2023 Leagues Cup and Concacaf Champions League.

At LAFC, he won the 2022 Supporters’ Shield, two Western Conference titles (2022 and 2023), the 2022 MLS Cup, and was the runner-up in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League, 2023 Campeones Cup, and 2023 MLS Cup. Under Chiellini’s leadership, LAFC’s defense proved to be a fortress, keeping clean sheets in 18 games in all competitions, including three playoff games in 2023, contributing to seven consecutive playoff victories between 2022 and 2023.

In his retirement announcement, John Thorrington, Co-President, and General Manager of LAFC said: “Giorgio is the best defender of his generation and an even better person. He exceeded incredibly high expectations we had for him, both on and off the field. His leadership, professionalism, and character will leave a lasting legacy at LAFC, and we are confident that our relationship with Giorgio will continue.”

Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press

Trajectory in the Italian National Team with Euro title

Chiellini began his journey with Italy from the youth teams. He was the European Under-19 champion, a starter in the team, and won the bronze medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004, the same year he was first called up to the senior Italy squad.

Although called up in 2004, the defender did not participate in the 2006 World Cup-winning squad. Therefore, he became an indispensable part of the Italy team starting from the 2008 Euro, where he became a regular starter due to Fabio Cannavaro’s injury.

As for the World Cup, Italy’s campaigns, including Chiellini, have been forgettable recently. After the 2006 title, Azzurra exited in the group stage in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, while in 2018 and 2022, they were defeated in the playoffs.

When it comes to Chiellini in the World Cup, the most remembered scene is the bite he received from Suárez in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The Uruguayan was expelled from the game and couldn’t engage in any football activity for 4 months.

In the Euros, Chiellini’s story began in 2008 and was crowned with the title in the 2020 edition, held in 2021. In his first Euro, the defender established himself as a key player for the Italian national team, which lost on penalties to Spain in the quarterfinals.

In the 2012 Euro, Azzurra surprised by reaching the final, but Spain once again dashed Italy’s hopes. This time, the historic Spanish team, the 2010 World Cup champions, defeated Italy 4-0.

In the 2016 Euro, a younger generation surprised, but the quarterfinals were the ceiling for that squad led by Conte.

Chiellini’s first title with his country, the most recent glory for Italy, came in 2021, in the 2020 edition of the Euro. The defender was the captain, playing a vital role throughout the campaign as the defensive pillar. Italy secured the championship by defeating England in a penalty shootout at Wembley.

Photo: Onefootball