Central defender Giorgio Chiellini announced the end of his playing career this Tuesday. At 39 years old, the Italian international, European champion in 2021, took to social media to remember each cycle and where it all began, at Livorno, where he trained and made his senior debut.
«You have been the most beautiful and intense journey of my life. You have been my everything. With you I traveled a unique and unforgettable path,” wrote Chiellini, who also wore the Fiorentina jersey and, between 2005 and 2022, Juventus. Last year, the defender represented the North Americans of Los Angeles FC.
From the vast curriculum, which includes nine Serie A and even one Serie B, all that was left to do was add the Champions League. For Juventus, Chiellini was a finalist twice, but on both occasions he ended up defeated against Barcelona and Real Madrid. In fact, the defender doesn’t have the best memories of finals against “our brothers”.
For “Squadra Azzurra”, the defender was runner-up in Europe in 2012, leaving Kiev defeated by Spain. Still, the day of supreme joy arrived in the summer of 2021, at Wembley, when Italy beat England in the decisive game. Chiellini was a regular presence in the main team from the 2008 European Championship onwards, after showing his strengths at youth level.
Regarding the future, the Italian emphasizes that «it is time to start new chapters, face new challenges and write more important and exciting pages in life».
Therefore, we can only wait to discover the next adventures of Giorgio Chiellini, the often silent (but implacable) lord from Pisa who taught recent generations how to lead a defensive line, a primordial aspect of Italian tactics that prevails in annals of international football. In memory, and in already nostalgic video games, he will always wear the zebra pattern of Juventus or the blue of Italy.
2023-12-12 16:15:43
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