The Italian defender left Juventus for LAFC in 2020. As his career comes to an end, his move to MLS has laid the groundwork for what’s next.
At 6:07 p. m. , on a cold and stormy Saturday in central Ohio, Giorgio Chiellini arrived at a crossroads that no athlete can avoid.
The 39-year-old centre-back, who has been playing for Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC since July 2022, had to make the decision to continue a career that has featured collective and personal honours for Juventus and Italy. (Chiellini later announced his retirement)
Chiellini’s contract expired when the host Columbus Crew defeated LAFC, 2-1, to win the 2023 MLS Cup. A victory would have given the veteran his second consecutive MLS Cup win to go with nine Serie A titles for Juventus and Italy’s 2020 European championship.
“The club is open with me and has given me total freedom of decision, but I still have doubts. I have to perceive what I want to follow, if it’s my head, if it’s my heart, if it’s my leg. ” said Chiellini, referring to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which he injured in 2018.
“I need to take a break for a little bit and enjoy the family for two or three days. I’ll go back to Italy and then I’ll have a final decision,” Chiellini said after the final.
Less than a few hours later, he made his decision.
After 24 seasons, 561 games for Juventus, 117 games for Italy, two World Cups and a torn knee ligament suffered five years ago, Chiellini retired on Tuesday. But the sport.
Chiellini needs to move his love of football from the box to the executive rooms. This goal motivated the defender to come to MLS and sign for LAFC.
“For sure, soccer is my world and my future,” he says. “I never think about a life without something related to soccer, to be honest. I was also interested in sports business and the point of view on the American side.”
Chiellini has the credibility to pursue a career at Array. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Turin in 2010 and then received his master’s degree in management there in 2017, graduating with honors.
“I grew up thinking about going to college,” says Chiellini, who, like his father, wanted to pursue medical studies before soccer became a full-time job. “Just me. I read a lot of books. I spent a lot of time playing PlayStation or sleeping in the afternoon or something. Why can’t I use this time to continue studying?
“It’s also a challenge and I like challenges. I need to challenge myself every day so I can improve.
But Chiellini had to organize his educational program, adding up his exams, around education and play. When he had to miss classes, the university provided Chiellini with personal tutors. The defender even studied team flights, piquing the interest of his teammates.
“At first, other people around me were like, ‘What are you doing?'” says Chiellini. ” But after a few times, it’s normal. “
The same year Chiellini finished his master’s degree, his brother Claudio made it known that the defender was looking to play in the United States. Claudio, applying to be Juventus’ loan coordinator, met Will Kuntz, deputy general manager of LAFC, a netrunning role. Kuntz was preparing for LAFC to take the field for its first season in 2018.
“I thought it was a really exciting way to attract Italian customers who were looking to expand with us and create a pathway,” said Kuntz, now general manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy. “Claudio said, ‘I think my brother would like to come and play for his club when he finishes playing in Europe. ‘I thought, ‘Well, it’s probably going to be a long time. ‘”
When North Macedonia knocked Italy out of World Cup qualifying in March 2022, that moment came. Kuntz held a Zoom meeting with John Thorrington, LAFC’s vice president of operations, and Steve Cherundol, the manager.
“I went to Steve and John and said, ‘Look, guys, I don’t know if this is real, but for some reason it’s the newest,'” Kuntz says. “Steve said, ‘Okay, we’ve been given to this one. ‘”
Claudio Chiellini put Cherundolo in touch with his brother, who was watching LAFC games and texting Cherundolo about it. The team’s officials responded by watching Chiellini’s recent matches with Juventus and Italy. “Giorgio was very transparent about what he was looking for,” says Kuntz “Considering his stature at the club and his position in the Italian national team, it was a simple verbal exchange to release him from his contract. “
Not even the MLS salary cap deterred the veteran defender. “We said, ‘That’s all we have and it’s just a fraction of what you’ve earned in your career,'” Kuntz says. “He said, ‘No, that’s great. ‘ It was actually a special example of how all the stars align. “
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LAFC not only had a world-class defender, but also a passionate student whose talent for the business of sports was “out of this world,” Kuntz says. “He was very intentional not only in everything he did, but also in the way he talked about the game and the business of the game, his understanding of how contracts work and the design of the league. He has made it known that he needs to continue running in the club side once it’s over.
These were talks with club officials and members of LAFC’s giant group, which includes Alibaba founder Joseph Tsai, Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber and NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
Chiellini needs to know “why other people invested in football 10 years ago, how to build a stadium or facilities, how to invest $15 million, how to make those key decisions. “have done in their past lives. . . Simply knowing the stories of those other people can help open your brain to some concepts for the future. At the end of the day, a lot of data helps you come up with new concepts, not just copy someone else.
Chiellini temporarily understood the difference between American and European approaches to the business of sports. “First of all, it’s much more about entertainment than life and death [in America],” he says. “There’s a lot of things for the circle of family members to do. You’re not alone there for 90 minutes. You can stay there for 3 hours, six hours. You can spend the whole day near the stadium or arena for another experience. That’s definitely the biggest difference. I’ve discovered it with Italy.
Chiellini’s potential excites Thorrington. “Whenever he engages with myself and ownership,” he said, “it is clear he has the intellectual horsepower and capacity to be of great value to any club once he is finished playing.”
This intellectual force has also had a major impact on the ground. “He’s analyzing everything at all times,” LAFC right-back Ryan Hollingshead said. “He sees the game in such an exclusive way that he has an idea. “. You pick up on a lot of those little nuances. These small main points accumulate in each and every game throughout the season.
Chiellini even fundamentally repositioned Hollingshead’s approach. ” In the past, not each and every piece was a matter of good luck or death,” he says. “If I put my foot a meter to the right or left, it doesn’t matter?But when you start analyzing the game, you’re in the right position at the right time. The total play is adjusted because of a small game, a small structure site.
“In my 10 years of professional play, he’s the most active player I’ve ever played with looking to analyze the game that way. It’s great to see.
Cherundolo, who played 15 seasons at Hannover ’96 and represented the United States at two World Cups, detected Chiellini’s influence beyond technical analysis. “He discovers a very clever balance between, at the right time, locating the right words and communicating with the group. “, whether verbally or not,” says Cherundolo. He’s just a born leader and a presence in the locker room that every team wants but not all have. “
For his part, Chiellini believes MLS has a promising future, especially after Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami. “The Messi deal was, I think, a huge change and a huge boost for soccer in the US,” he says. “It’s something that you could compare to the [David] Beckham arrival. All of the stadiums are crowded, almost 20,000, 25,000 a game. It’s not reached a level of [NFL] or other sports or sports in Europe where you’re getting 40,000, 50,000, 70,000. But it’s growing up very, very fast and in a sustainable and solid way. That’s important.
“I think now that the Copa America, the Club World Cup and the World Cup are coming up, it’s a smart cycle that we want to use in U. S. soccer. But the wonderful thing about the league is that it’s very elastic in terms of rules. It’s one of the few leagues in the world that can really replace a lot from one season to the next. It’s a smart thing to do because it’s a league that now has to take credit and replace in order to grow. .
With Chiellini off the field, a position on the touchline or in the convention hall is inevitable. “I know Juventus need it,” Hollingshead said in the MLS playoffs. “I know they will try to offer me to come back to Italy. I don’t know in what role. But for him not to play a role as a coach, general manager or scout would be a disservice. I know it’s your wish. I know that’s what you’re looking for. We’re in front of us and it’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.
However, even at 39 years old, the former Italian still stands out among his peers.
“But right now, he’s still playing at a really high level,” Hollingshead said in the playoffs, “and, man, he’s so important to our team that we can’t let him pass us by yet. “