Italy's iconic defender, Giorgio Chiellini, is set to retire from football at the age of 39, according to Goal.com.
According to Goal, the Italian legend will confirm his retirement on Tuesday after spending two years in Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC. His recent outing with LAFC ended on a bitter note as they fell short in the MLS Cup final following a 2-1 defeat against the Columbus Crew on Sunday. Goal.com further reported that the Italian legend is set to return to his beloved Juventus, this time not as a player but in an administration role. But there is also a possibility of the Italian defender spending the next six months in the US, taking his time to refresh and then taking up the managerial role with the Old Lady. In a career that spanned over three decades, Chiellini made 561 appearances for Juventus and added 36 goals to his name. Trophies, success and tears were shared throughout their time together and their final minutes on the pitch as the fans and teammates gathered at the Allianz Stadium for the final send-off of the club legend. His time in Turin saw him lift a number of accolades, which included nine Serie A titles, five Supercoppa Italiana, and five Coppa Italia victories. Additionally, Chiellini reached the Champions League Final twice, in 2015 and 2017. He also led his nation to European Championship glory in 2020. He led the Azzurri from the front and registered a famous victory over England at Wembley Stadium to lift the title. In 2022, he decided to draw a curtain on his time with the national team. "If I'm fine, I'll play and say goodbye to the national team at Wembley, where I reached the peak of my career," he said. "It would be great to say goodbye to the Azzurri shirt with a celebratory match like the one with Argentina. For the national team, it will be the last time," he added. (ANI)
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