Legendary defender Giorgio Chiellini accepts ESPN’s You Have to Answer challenge (1:08).
Former Juventus and Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini retired from professional football on Tuesday, ending a career that began in 2000.
Chiellini’s last game came on Saturday in the MLS Cup final, where his LAFC team beat the Columbus Crew 2-1.
– Broadcast on ESPN: LaLiga, Bundesliga, (USA)
“You’ve been the ultimate and most intense adventure of my life,” Chiellini wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“You’ve been everything to me. With you I have traveled an unforgettable path.
“But now it is time to start new chapters, face new challenges and write further important and exciting pages of life.”
Chiellini, 39, ended his career at Livorno in 2000, but became famous at Juventus, where he played 561 games between 2005 and 2022.
Juventus won the league in Chiellini’s first full season with Juventus, a name that was later cancelled and moved to Inter Milan in the wake of the Calciopoli scandal.
Having initially played on the left side, he moved to centre-back during Juventus’ year in Serie B, establishing himself in the team as the Bianconeri won the second-tier title.
He won nine consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus between 2011 and 2020, as well as five Coppa Italia trophies. Chiellini has lost the Champions League final twice to Juventus, in 2015 and 2017.
“For Juventus fans, for 17 seasons, the number 3 stood for one thing, and one thing only: Giorgio Chiellini,” Juventus wrote in a statement.
“Player, boy and captain: 3 perspectives from Giorgio himself, who concluded his football career.
“Everything, always, together. You were always by our side, like a superhero ready to intervene if necessary. In your case, however, there was no shield, red cloak or bat-mobile.”
Chiellini made 117 appearances for Italy and became captain in 2019, with his defining moment coming in the successful Euro 2020 campaign, when he played a pivotal role in Italy’s defeat to England in the final.
In his first season in MLS, Chiellini won the MLS Cup with LAFC alongside Gareth Bale and Carlos Vela.
“Firstly, we would like to congratulate Giorgio on his legendary career.” LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said in a club statement.
“We are grateful that Giorgio, Carolina, Nina and Olivia have chosen to spend Giorgio’s final 18 months at LAFC. Giorgio is the champion of his generation and an even better person.
“Giorgio has exceeded the incredibly high expectations we had of him, on and off the court. His leadership, professionalism and character will leave a lasting legacy at LAFC, and we are confident that our relationship with Giorgio will continue. “