VIDEO: Italy Icon Chiellini Says Goodbye In Heartfelt Retirement Clip

Italian legend Giorgio Chiellini has announced his retirement from football, sharing a video showcasing highlights from throughout his career.

Chiellini shared the video on social media this morning, showcasing a football trade card from every year he was a professional player, just after declaring his retirement. The cards are snippets from his playing career that span his time as an Italian international as well as his stints at Livorno, Fiorentina, Juventus, and LAFC in the Major League Soccer (MLS).

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Chiellini is one of the most influential defenders in the history of the game – on both the international and club levels. Players feared him when pinned up next to him on the pitch, while goalkeepers knew they were in safe care with him in front of them. During his storied career, he made over 550 appearances for Juventus, and across club and country, over 700 in total. Now, as he hangs up his boots, it’s the end of an era for a one-of-a-kind player, who was as gentle as could be off the pitch, but an absolute menace on it.

You have been the most beautiful and intense journey of my life.
You have been my everything. With you I have travelled a unique and unforgettable path.
But now it is time to start new chapters, face new challenges and write further important and exciting pages of life. pic.twitter.com/IjHDDE4jMe

— Giorgio Chiellini (@chiellini) December 12, 2023

The 39-year-old LAFC defender has decided it’s time to retire from the game he has treated us all with for so long, even though his career may not have finished the way he had hoped—a 2-1 loss in the MLS Cup final against the Columbus Crew.

Simply enjoy your retirement and explore the possibilities that lie ahead. For the time being, the 39-year-old defender will enjoy some time off from the pitch, but he has made references to a possible return to Juventus in some capacity.