Giorgio Chiellini retires from football aged 39: What’s next for the iconic defender?

Former Italy international centre-back Giorgio Chiellini has announced his retirement from professional football aged 39. The defender’s last game was against Columbus Crew in the finals of the MLS, as LAFC came up short of winning a second title. 

Chiellini is most fondly remembered for his time with Juventus, becoming a mainstay in their backline over 17 years. He established a formidable partnership with Leonardo Bonucci at both Juventus and the Italy national team, and won the 2020 Euros against England at Wembley Stadium. 

Giorgio Chiellini retires from football after 24 year long career 

The colossal defender played 827 games across all competitions, scoring 52 goals and winning 20 trophies. He won nine Serie A titles and five Coppa Italia titles with Juventus, while claiming the Supercoppa Italiana five times as well. After moving to LAFC in 2022, he won the MLS title and the Supporters Shield. 

After an illustrious career that saw Giorgio Chiellini regularly mentioned amongst the best defenders in the world, it seems he will be moving into the business side of football soon. “For sure, soccer is my world and my future,” he said. “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 an MBA from the University of Turin, which he passed with honours in 2017. And a step into the executive suites seems most probable for the iconic defender now that he has called time on his playing career.