Giorgio Chiellini, the Italian defense giant who will say goodbye to Messi’s Argentina

Chiellini greets the Italian national team on Wednesdayin the Grand Final against Argentina which will be played in London, in a gala match between the champions of Europe Y South America. The emotional farewell will be at Wembley Stadium, precisely the stage in which Azzurra won the European Championship in 2021.

The final, in which Italy beat England on penalties, It was a highlight of his professional career.. The smile of the captain, who had lost the European Championship final against Spain in 2012, when he raised the trophy was like that of a child, determined to enjoy his moment despite being one step away from retirement.

Giorgio wanted to finish great with the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but Italy has failed in its attempt to qualify, with a painful 1-0 defeat to North Macedonia in March in the playoff semifinals. That setback changed his plans and this Wednesday brings forth his farewell as a man of the Italian team.

At 37, Chiellini will play his 117th and last match with the national team. This farewell follows the one he had recently with Juventus, with whom he played his last match in Florence. Unlike his time at the Old Lady, this cycle defends the Azure jacket it might end with the title.

Although his immediate future has not yet been revealed, the press assures the 37-year-old defender could continue playing in the MLS. “He I’ll think about it later. Now I want to enjoy these days. I have the whole month of June to decideChiellini said this Monday at a press conference.

Known for his commitment and strength, Chiellini has been able to establish himself as one of the most solid Italian central defenders in history. Regarding his retirement, the Italian National Team TD declared: “He made his decision and the decisions must be respected. It is normal to take another path “.

Contrary to what it might seem, his game was – almost always – adjusted to the rules, and he was just sent off twice in 430 Serie A games. At this point, Giorgio defended the colors of Livorno, Fiorentina and Juventus. With his arrival at the Old Lady came his first First Division title. Since then, the defender has accumulated 19 consecrations.

As for how he came to defend the colors of Juventus, we have to go back to 2000, the year in which he made his debut with the Livorno shirt. With the Tuscan club there were 68 games and 4 goals, with promotion to Serie B in the middle, and a consecrated 2003-04 season, which led him to Fiorentina.

After a fleeting passage of only 43 games, in 2005 his particular love story with Juventus begins. When the Old Lady was administratively relegated to Serie B after the ‘Calciopoli’ scandal of 2006, remained. There he earned a place in the hearts of Juventus fans.

The reward for that loyalty came later with the record of nine Italian champion titles that Juventus created between 2012 and 2020, which it accompanied five in the Italian Cup. The biggest disappointments for Chiellini and Juventus in those years came in Champions Leaguewhere the Italians have not reached the goal of consecration.

This former left-back has become a reference in central defense, a position in which the first to give him the opportunity was Didier Deschamps, the current coach of France, when he was driving Juve in Serie B. “He was a crazy horse, I spent the games running, “said Chiellini, referring to his evolution.

Your most remembered moments? They may not be the most beautiful, since speaking of the Champions League many remembered the two finals in which Chiellini could barely keep up with the runner-up. Lost in the final against Juve 2017, against Real Madrid. In which his team lost 2015against Barcelona, ​​he was injured.

Another of Chiellini’s most remembered moments is that of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when he was bitten mid-game by Luis Suárez, in a party that has remained in history. That duel against Uruguay, in fact, was the last one played by ‘Giorgione’ in a World Cup.

He was not called upon to do so 2006 World Cuptherefore he was not part of that group of champions of Marcello Lippi, and therefore, in 2010 and 2014, experienced the failures of eliminations in the group stage with Italy. His team did not qualify for the editions of 2018 and 2022. The European Championship was the “ gold brooch ” for a successful career.