Giorgio ChielliniOfficial OMRI (Italian pronunciation:[ˈdʒordʒokjelˈliːni,ˈdʒɔr-]; born 14 August 1984) is an Italian former professionalfootballer who played as acentre-back orleft-back. Considered one of the bestdefenders of all time, Chiellini was known for his strength, aggressiveness, man-marking, and ability to play in either a three or four-man defense.[3][4][5][6]
Chiellini joined the youth teams atLivorno at age six and started out as acentral midfielder. As he matured, he switched to playing as awinger and finally he found his position as a left back. He played in the club's youth academy between 1990 and 2000. In 2000, he took part inTorneo di Arco as a squad player forAC Milan's U-17 team during his tryout; while the youth coachDavide Ballardini rated his performance highly, the club could not satisfy Livorno's financial demands for a fifteen-year-old.[18] In the 2000–01Serie C1 season, Chiellini started to receive his first call-ups to the senior team and eventually made three appearances and followed that up with five more appearances the following season.
In June 2002, Chiellini was signed byRoma in aco-ownership deal, for €3.1 million (which also sawMarco Amelia move in the opposite direction, for €2.8 million);[19] however, he was loaned back to Livorno for the2002–03Serie B season, after they had earned promotion. In his first Serie B season, Chiellini made six seasonal appearances, also making hisCoppa Italia debut. In his second Serie B season, Chiellini broke into the starting line-up for the club, and would go on to make 42 official appearances, also scoring four goals from his left back position.
In June 2004, Livorno officially bought back Chiellini for €3 million.[20] During his four-season spell with the club's first team, Chiellini made a total of 57 appearances, scoring four goals, before his transfer to Juventus.
Chiellini was signed by Juventus in the summer of 2004 for €6.5 million from Livorno,[21] but was immediately sold in a co-ownership deal toFiorentina for €3.5 million, and played on the Florentine team during the2004–05Serie A season. The complex deal actually meant Juventus bought Roma's half for €3 million and Fiorentina bought Livorno's half for €3.5 million. In his loan season with the club, Chiellini was a regular in the club's starting XI, making 42 official appearances, also scoring three goals.
After an excellent first season in Serie A, Chiellini was recalled for the2005–06 season and Juventus paid €4.3 million for the rest of his contract. He became a regular underFabio Capello and made 23 appearances in his first season with the club, also helping theOld Lady to their 29thscudetto (which was later assigned toInter following the2006 "Calciopoli" scandal).
While in theSerie B, he started playing at centre back, partneringNicola Legrottaglie,Jean-Alain Boumsong andRobert Kovač at various stages of the season. Juventus won the2006–07 Serie B title, gaining Serie A promotion with the best goal difference, conceding only 30 goals and scoring over 80 in 42 matches. He scored a double in a 5–1 thrashing atArezzo in May, a result that mathematically sealed promotion for Juventus.
With Juventus back in Serie A for the2007–08 season, Chiellini again was a starter for the club at left back, but following injuries toJorge Andrade andDomenico Criscito, he was shifted to centre back again. Chiellini had a tremendous season and eventually made the position his own. Alongside fellow centre-half Nicola Legrottaglie, the duo were instrumental as Juventus finished the season with the joint second-best defensive record. The surprising aspect of this is that neither were considered remotely close to pinning down a centre back position in the summer before the season, with Domenico Criscito and Jorge Andrade preferred as the starting duo. He has been a regular fixture in the Juventus backline since their return to Serie A and was notably namedMan of the Match in a game against Juventus rivals,Internazionale when he won a physical and heated duel with former teammateZlatan Ibrahimović, keeping theSwedish striker at bay. Chiellini extended his original contract from until 2009 to 2011 on 12 October 2006.[22] On 27 April 2008, Chiellini scored twice for Juventus in 5–2 win overLazio that confirmed Juventus's place in the Serie A top four.[23] on 26 June 2008, Chiellini extended his contract with Juventus until 2013.[24]
During the2008–09 season, Chiellini remained as first choice in central defence alongside Nicola Legrottaglie. Chiellini scored his first goal inEurope on 13 August 2008 as Juve beatArtmedia Petržalka 4–0 in the first leg of theUEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie.[25] Four days later, he injured his left knee again during theTrofeo Luigi Berlusconi againstAC Milan and missed the start of the Serie A season,[26] returning to duty in September starting in each of Juve's first three Champions League group games. At the end of the year, he was namedSerie A Defender of the Year for 2008 at the annualOscar del Calcio awards ceremony. On 10 March 2009, Chiellini was sent off for a second bookable offense during theChampions League first knockout round second leg tie at home in a tightly contested match againstChelsea, but Juventus were eliminated 3–2 on aggregate after holding the former English champions to a 2–2 draw.
An injury sustained in the win overFiorentina on 6 March 2010 sidelined him for several important games and, in his absence, Juventus embarked on a miserable run of form, conceding nine goals in the four games he missed.[27] He marked his return by scoring the opening goal away atNapoli but was unable to prevent Juventus from succumbing to a 3–1 defeat.[28] On 23 November 2010, Chiellini extended his contract with Juventus again until 30 June 2015 and was given a pay raise.[29]
During the beginning of the2010–11 season, Chiellini was mostly partnered with newly signed youngsterLeonardo Bonucci. With the arrival of fellow Italy internationalAndrea Barzagli in the winter transfer window, Chiellini occasionally played at left back to accommodate the Bonucci–Barzagli partnership and sometimes partnered Barzagli.
Under managerAntonio Conte, Chiellini returned to his original position at left back due to Barzagli and Bonucci's good run of form. After struggling to re-adapt back to his former position, he grew into his role and managed to keepPaolo De Ceglie, the only other natural left back in the squad, on the bench for much of the first half of the 2011–12 season. In the second half of the2011–12 season, Conte switched to a three-man defence, where Chiellini partnered Bonucci and Barzagli in a very successful defensive system for Juve, who ended the season as Serie A champions, with the best defensive record, as well as being unbeaten in the league.[30] Due to their performances together, the three-man defence earned the nicknameBBC, a reference to the players' initials,[31] and soon the trio established themselves as one of the best defences in world football during the following seasons.[32][33][34] Juventus lost the2012 Coppa Italia Final againstNapoli, but would later defeat them in the2012 Supercoppa Italiana, although Chiellini would miss the match.[35]
Chiellini made his 250th appearance with Juventus on 22 September 2012, on his first appearance of the2012–13 season after coming back from injury, in a 2–0 home win overChievo.[36] On 1 March 2013, after coming back from another injury suffered in mid-December, he scored a header in a 1–1 draw over Napoli at the San Paolo stadium, which allowed Juventus to keep their 6-point lead over Napoli, who were in second place.[37] Juventus retained the Serie A title and theSupercoppa Italiana that season, once again finishing the year with the best defensive record in Italy.[38][39] Chiellini was the only Italian player to be nominated for the 2013UEFA Team of the Year.[40]
On 6 October 2013, Chiellini scored in Juventus's 3–2 win over Milan, scoring the match winning goal; the next day he announced the renewal of his contract with Juventus, which would keep him at the club until 2017.[41] He made his 300th appearance with Juventus in a 3–0 Serie A victory against Roma on 5 January 2014,[42] as he went on to win his third consecutiveleague title with Juventus that season.[43]
2014–2018: continued domestic success and two Champions League finals
In the2014 Supercoppa Italiana on 22 December 2014, Juventus were defeated by Napoli on penalties after a 2–2 draw following extra-time; Chiellini missed one of Juventus's spot-kicks in the resulting shoot-out.[44] On 20 May, Chiellini captained Juventus in the club's 2–1 win over Lazio in the2015 Coppa Italia Final, also scoring Juventus's first goal of the night.[45]
On 4 June 2015, it was confirmed that Chiellini would not participate in the2015 UEFA Champions League Final againstBarcelona as a scan on his left leg revealed he had a first degree calf muscle tear.[46]In the absence of Chiellini, Juventus were defeated 3–1 by Barcelona at Berlin'sOlympiastadion.[47]
Chiellini (centre), Juventus' captain during the2016 Coppa Italia Final, receives the trophy by the President of the Italian Republic,Sergio Mattarella (right).
Chiellini was ruled out of the2015 Supercoppa Italiana after sustaining an injury in a 2–1 away friendly victory overLechia Gdańsk on 29 July, which kept him sidelined for three weeks.[48] On 24 November, Chiellini was nominated for the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year.[49]
On 9 February 2016, it was confirmed that Chiellini would miss theSerie A match on 13 February againstNapoli, as well as the first round of 16 leg of theChampions League on 23 February againstBayern Munich due to an injury.[50] Chiellini returned to action on 28 February to take onrivalsInternazionale, yet again sustaining an injury to his thigh which caused him to limp off the pitch and substituted off in the 35th minute.[51] After already having missed the first round of 16 leg against Bayern, there was further doubt as to if he would miss the second leg as well on 16 March. However, after medical testing it was estimated he would only be out for ten days, initially thought to only miss the second leg of theCoppa Italia semi-finals against Internazionale on 2 March and a Serie A match againstAtalanta on 6 March;[51][52] he wouldn't be fit for the second round of 16 leg of the Champions League, and missed the match.[53] He returned from injury on 2 April, starting in a 1–0 home win overEmpoli,[54] but sustained yet another injury to hisadductor longus muscle in his right thigh before being substituted off in the 54th minute of that match; further tests in the following days revealed he would be out for 20 days.[55] He returned to action once again in a 2–1 away defeat toVerona, on 8 May.[56] After constant injury spells throughout the season, Chiellini scored in the last match of the season on 14 May in the 77th minute of a 5–0 home win overSampdoria, as Juventus celebrated winning the league title for a fifth consecutive time since the 2011–12 season; this was Chiellini's 400th appearance for Juventus.[57][58] On 21 May, Chiellini captained Juventus in the2016 Coppa Italia Final in Rome; he played a key role in a 1–0 extra-time victory over Milan (the club's eleventh Coppa Italia title in total), helping his team to defend the title and keep a clean sheet.[59] He later lifted the trophy as Juventus became the first Italian club ever to win consecutive domestic doubles.[60][61]
On 26 October 2016, Chiellini scored two goals in a 4–1 home win over Sampdoria after three weeks out due to injury.[63] On 23 December, Chiellini scored the opening goal in theSupercoppa Italiana against Milan, but it ended in defeat as Milan won 4–3 in penalty shoot-out following a 1–1 draw after extra time.[64]
On 28 April, he made his 300th appearance in Serie A with Juventus in a 2–2 away draw against Atalanta.[65] On 3 June, after Chiellini missed out on the 2015 Champions League Final, he started in the2017 final, Juventus' second final appearance in three years, but were defeated 4–1 by defending champions Real Madrid.[66]
On 12 September 2017, Chiellini missed the opening2017–18 Champions League group stage match of the season against Barcelona, due to a calf injury.[67]
On 11 January 2018, Chiellini was named to the2017 UEFA Team of the Year.[68] He made his 350th appearance in Serie A in a 0–0 away draw againstS.P.A.L., on 17 March.[69]
2018–2022: Juventus captain and ninth consecutive Serie A title
On 29 June 2018, Chiellini was given a two-year contract extension until 2020 and also named the club's new captain after the departure of Buffon.[70][71]
On 16 January 2019, Chiellini lifted his first title as Juventus's new official captain – theSupercoppa Italiana – following a 1–0 victory over Milan.[72] On 12 March, Chiellini marked his 500th appearance in a Juventus jersey with a 3–0 win home toAtlético Madrid in theChampions League round of 16 second leg to overturn a 2–0 deficit to reach the quarter-finals.[73] Juventus ended the season as league champions, with Chiellini capturing his record eighth Serie A title with the club.[74]
On 24 August, in Juventus's opening match of the2019–20 season againstParma, Chiellini scored the only goal of the match in a 1–0 away win in Serie A.[75] On 30 August, Chiellini tore hisanterior cruciate ligament during training.[76] He returned on 16 February 2020, in a match against Brescia, replacingLeonardo Bonucci in the 78th minute.[77] On 29 June, Chiellini signed a new contract with Juventus, extending until June 2021.[78]
On 20 October 2020, Chiellini made his 71st Champions League appearance with Juventus in the team's opening European game of the season, a 2–0 away win overDynamo Kyiv, overtakingAlessio Tacchinardi as the club's third–most capped player of all time in the competition; however, he suffered an injury during the first half and was replaced byMerih Demiral.[79]
On 2 August 2021, Chiellini renewed his contract with Juventus, signing a two-year contract extension until June 2023.[80] However, after losing the2022 Coppa Italia Final, Chiellini announced that he would leave Juventus at the end of the 2021–22 season.[81] He started in his final game for Juventus, a 2–0 loss to Fiorentina.[82]
On 13 June 2022, Chiellini agreed to joinMajor League Soccer clubLos Angeles FC on a contract through 2023 using Targeted Allocation Money.[83] On 17 July 2022, Chiellini made his debut during a 2–1 win againstNashville SC and was substituted at the 60th minute.[84] On November 5, Chiellini lifted theMLS Cup following LAFC's penalty shoot-out win overPhiladelphia Union.[85] On 4 March 2023, Chiellini scored his first Major League Soccer goal during the 3–2 win over thePortland Timbers. As a result, he was named to the league's Team of the Matchday.[86]
On 12 December 2023, three days after LAFC were defeated in theMLS Cup final byColumbus Crew, Chiellini announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39.[87][88][89]
Chiellini represented Italy at all youth levels, and he won theEuropean Under-19 Championship with Italy in 2003,[90] and was also a member of the Italy team that won the bronze medal at thefootball tournament of the2004 Summer Olympics. He participated in the2006 and 2007 U-21 Championships as Italy's captain, scoring 2 goals over both tournaments, although Italy were eliminated in the group stage on both occasions. He was named in the 'UEFA Team of the tournament' of the2007 U-21 Championships held in the Netherlands,[91] where Italy also obtained qualification for the2008 Summer Olympics. In total, he made 26 appearances for the Under-21 side, scoring 6 goals.
Chiellini made his debut for theItaly national team on 17 November 2004 againstFinland underMarcello Lippi, at the age of 20.[92] Chiellini was not a part of the Italian squad that won the2006 World Cup, partially because he had transferred toJuventus in 2005 and was still working his way into consistent playing time with one of the giants ofSerie A. He became a regular squad member in 2007 and he scored his first goal for Italy on 21 November 2007, against theFaroe Islands, inModena, in aUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match.[93]
Chiellini was called up to Italy's squad forUEFA Euro 2008 under managerRoberto Donadoni, and injured captainFabio Cannavaro in a collision during a training session, that resulted in Cannavaro missing out on the tournament.[94][95] He was sidelined in the opening game against theNetherlands, which Italy went on to lose 3–0.[96] He subsequently received the nod to partnerChristian Panucci at centre-back from the second game onwards, cementing his place in theAzzurri defence;[97] in the second group match of the tournament, he assisted Panucci's equaliser in a 1–1 draw againstRomania.[98] While he also featured in the final group game, keeping a clean-sheet in a 2–0 win againstFrance,[99] his most impressive display was arguably againstSpain in the quarter-finals, where he famously neutralised the threat of the Spanish attacking duo ofDavid Villa andFernando Torres. The game ended 0–0, with Italy eventually losing 4–2 onpenalties.[100]
During2010 World Cup qualifying, Chiellini cemented his place as an undisputed first-choice inMarcello Lippi's squad. He played the full 90 minutes in all three group matches at the2009 FIFA Confederations Cup but Italy were eliminated at the group stages on goal difference.[101] He was also the starting Italy centre back, along withCannavaro, in the2010 World Cup, although Italy disappointed and exited in the first round, finishing in last place in their group with two points, and failing to win a match having trailed in all three group games without leading at any point.[102]
UnderCesare Prandelli, Chiellini was once again the starting centre back during Italy'sUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. Along with Juventus teammatesAndrea Barzagli andLeonardo Bonucci, and alsoDaniele De Rossi, he started in defence for Italy in theUEFA Euro 2012 tournament, after recovering from an injury he had encountered during the final Serie A game of the season.[103] He suffered another injury in Italy's final group match againstIreland, which ended in a 2–0 win, ruling him out of the quarter-final fixture againstEngland;[104] he returned to the starting line-up for Italy's 2–1 semi-final victory overGermany.[105] Italy reached thefinal, but were defeated once again by Spain, suffering a 4–0 loss. Despite suffering a minor injury in the semi-final, Chiellini started as left back in the final, but was substituted after sustaining yet another injury; Spain's first goal of the match arose from his mistake, due to his precarious physical condition.[105][106]
On 14 November 2012, in a 2–1 friendly defeat toFrance, Chiellini wore the captain's armband with Italy for the first time in his career.[107]
On 22 June 2013, Chiellini scored his third goal for Italy againstBrazil in the2013 Confederations Cup in a 2–4 defeat, a low shot to the net after the refereeRavshan Irmatov had initially signaled for a penalty kick to Italy.[108] Italy managed to finish the tournament in third place, following a 3–2 penalty shootout win overUruguay in the bronze medal match.[109]
In the2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying fixture against theCzech Republic, at theJuventus Stadium in Turin, on 10 September 2013, Chiellini scored Italy's first goal in a 2–1 home win, which allowed the nation to clinch the top spot in their group and qualify for the2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with two games at hand; this was the first time that the Italian squad had done so.[110]
During the 2014 World Cup, in Italy's final group stage game against Uruguay, Chiellini, while defendingLuis Suárez in the penalty area, was bitten in the left shoulder by Suárez from behind. It was Suárez's third career biting incident. As the Italian players protested to the Mexican refereeMarco Antonio Rodríguez for not penalizing Suárez, Uruguay won a corner and scored, winning 1–0 to qualify for the last 16 and eliminating Italy.[111][112][113] As a result, theFIFA Disciplinary Committee launched an investigation into the incident. On 26 June, the committee announced that Suárez would be suspended for nine matches and banned from any football activity (including entering any stadium) for four months. Suárez was also finedCHF100,000 (approx.£65,700/€82,000/US$119,000).[114][115] Even so, Chiellini expressed his view that the four-month ban on Suárez for all football-related activities including was "excessive".[116] "There only remains the anger and the disappointment about the match. At the moment, my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period." Chiellini said after the game, noting that he hoped Suárez would be allowed to remain with his teammates during World Cup games, "because such a ban is really alienating for a player."[116] Chiellini wrote in his autobiography that he could sympathsize with Suárez's competitive determination.
[Luis] Suárez and I are similar and I like facing strikers like him. I called him a couple of days after the game, but he had no need to apologize to me. I too am a son of a b*tch on the field and proud of it.[117]
On 10 October 2014 in aUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match againstAzerbaijan inPalermo, Chiellini put Italy ahead with a first-half header. He then scored a late own goal, but headed a winner three minutes from time to give Italy a 2–1 victory.[118] Italy qualified forEuro 2016 on 10 October of the following year after a 3–1 win over Azerbaijan.[119] On 17 November 2015, Chiellini made his 82nd appearance for Italy in a 2–2 friendly home draw against Romania, overtakingFranco Baresi,Giuseppe Bergomi, andMarco Tardelli asItaly's tenth most capped player of all time.[120][121] On 31 May 2016, Chiellini was named to Conte's 23-man Italy squad for Euro 2016.[122] Playing alongside Bonucci and Barzagli, Chiellini drew praise for his defensive performances, as he helped Italy keep clean-sheets in both of their opening two victories overBelgium andSweden, which enabled the nation to top their group and advance to the second round.[32] Having been booked for a tactical foul in Italy's opening match on 13 June,[123] Chiellini was rested for Italy's final group match against Ireland on 22 June, which ended in a 1–0 defeat.[124] In the round of 16 atStade de France inParis on 27 June, he scored the opening goal in a 2–0 win over reigning European champions Spain and helped Italy record their third clean-sheet of the tournament.[125] Italy were eliminated from the competition in a 6–5 penalty shoot-out defeat to reigning World Cup champions Germany in the quarter-finals, on 2 July.[126]
In Italy's opening2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match againstIsrael on 5 September 2016, Chiellini earned his 90th international cap, but was later given his first ever national team red card after a second bookable offense in the 55th minute of an eventual 3–1 away win; causing him to miss thenext group match against Spain on 6 October, an eventual 1–1 draw.[127]
Chiellini also missed the return match against Spain on 2 September 2017, an eventual 3–0 away loss, as well as the return march against Israel on 5 September, an eventual 1–0 home win, with a calf injury.[128] On 9 October, Chiellini made his 94th appearance for Italy in a 1–0 away victory over Albania in a World Cup qualifier, equallingGiacinto Facchetti asthe nation's joint-eighth highest appearance holder of all time.[129][130] Italy finished in Group G in second place behind Spain, and advanced to theplay-off againstSweden. Italy failed to qualify for the2018 FIFA World Cup after a 1–0 aggregate loss to Sweden.[131] The second leg, a 0–0 home draw on 13 November, was initially thought to be his final international appearance, as Chiellini announced his retirement from the national team immediately after the match.[132][133]
President of ItalySergio Mattarella (right) congratulates Chiellini (carrying the trophy) in Rome, the day after Italy'sUEFA Euro 2020 triumph.
On 17 March 2018, despite Chiellini's initial decision to retire, he was called up for the March 2018 friendlies against Argentina and England by interim managerLuigi Di Biagio.[134] After sustaining an injury, however, he was dropped from the squad, andAngelo Ogbonna was called up in his place.[135]
He was once again called up to the national team in September 2018, by managerRoberto Mancini, for Italy's openingUEFA Nations League matches againstPoland andPortugal later that month.[136] Chiellini was also named the new captain of the Italy national team following Gianluigi Buffon's international retirement.[137][138] He subsequently wore the captain's armband in Italy's 1–1 home draw against Poland on 7 September, in their UEFA Nations League opener.[139] On 11 October, he made his 98th appearance for Italy in a 1–1 friendly draw againstUkraine in Genoa, equallingGianluca Zambrotta as his nation's joint-seventh highest appearance holder of all time.[140] On 17 November, he made his 100th appearance for Italy in a 0–0 draw against Portugal at theSan Siro stadium inMilan, in his team's final UEFA Nations League match.[141]
In June 2021, Chiellini was included inItaly's squad forUEFA Euro 2020.[142] In the opening match on 11 June, a 3–0 win overTurkey, he became the oldest player to appear for Italy at the European Championships, at the age of 36 years, 301 days.[143] In their second group match againstSwitzerland in Rome on 16 June, he had a goal disallowed for an apparent handball and was later forced off in the first half due to injury, being replaced byFrancesco Acerbi; Italy won the match 3–0, allowing them to advance to the round of 16 of the tournament.[144] Chiellini would however recover from his injury,[145] starting in Italy's 2–1 victory over Belgium in the quarter-finals on 2 July.[146] He subsequently went on to captain Italy to its second ever European Championship victory on 11 July,[147] following a 3–2penalty shoot-out victory overEngland in thefinal atWembley Stadium after a 1–1 draw inextra time.[148]
On 25 April 2022, Chiellini announced that he would retire from international football after the2022 Finalissima against reigningCopa América championsArgentina on 1 June.[149] During the match, he made his final and 117th international appearance, equallingDaniele De Rossi as the team's fourth–most capped player of all time; Italy were defeated 3–0 at Wembley Stadium, with Chiellini coming off at half time.[150]
Chiellini began his professional career as a defensive-mindedleft-back, but later made his name as an aggressive, courageous, physical, and hard-tacklingcentre-back, with a penchant for scoring headers from set-pieces, due to his height, aerial prowess, athleticism, and strength. A versatile, consistent, commanding, and dependable left-footed defender, with good awareness, positional sense, and an ability to read the game, he was capable of playing both in a three or four-man defence.[104][151][152][12][153][154][155][156] A hard-working player, he was also known for his ability to cover ground and put pressure on or anticipate opponents in positions higher up on the pitch.[12][154][157][158][159]
Regarded as a promising defender in his youth,[160] Chiellini came to be considered one of the best defenders in world football,[161][157][162][163][164] one of the greatest defenders of his generation,[165] and one of Juventus's and Italy's greatest defenders ever.[166][167] In 2018, his Juventus manager at the time – Massimiliano Allegri – described him as "the best defender in the world."[168] Regarding Chiellini's strength and man-marking ability, his former Livorno managerWalter Mazzarri once labeled him as "a force of nature", also adding "he's a universal player that any coach would love to have on his team.[169] He is from another planet; he can mark three players by himself."[151][170]
Due to his tenacious, no-nonsense playing style, Chiellini has been described as an "old-fashioned" man-marking centre-back, orstopper, who primarily served as a ball-winner;[154][171][172][173] as such, he was often partnered with a ball-playing centre-back, such as Bonucci, throughout his career.[12] Chiellini's physicality and aggression as a defender, as well as his trademarkgoal celebration, which involved him beating his chest, earned him the nickname "King Kong".[12][174][175][176] Although he was not known for his pace over short distances,[177][178] he was also a mobile defender.[179] While Chiellini was not particularly skilful or elegant from a technical standpoint,[152][158][180][181][177][178][179][176][182] he possessed good vision[183] and reliable distribution, which allowed him to play the ball out or launch attacks from the back after winning back possession.[154][184][185][186][187][188] Over the course of his career, Chiellini worked on improving the mental aspect of his game and also refined his technique, both on the ball and when tackling, which allowed him to adapt effectively to the physical effects of ageing, and to tactical changes in his teams' playing style, which favoured passing and cleaner challenges over more physical defending. His change in style saw him make fewer tackles and more passes per game, and also allowed him to commit fewer fouls. He described his new style as being "more reflective, less impulsive."[189]
A popular figure with fans, Chiellini was also known for his dedication and vocal leadership on the pitch, and was Juventus's long-timevice captain, behindGianluigi Buffon; following Buffon's departure in 2018, Chiellini was appointed the team's newcaptain.[71][158][180][190] Throughout his career with Italy and Juventus, the defensive trio of Barzagli, Bonucci, and Chiellini, which was dubbed theBBC in the media, was considered to be one of the greatest in history,[191] with pundits likening it to Italy's and Juventus's successful defensive trio of the 1930s, made up of full-backsVirginio Rosetta andUmberto Caligaris, as well ascentre-halfLuis Monti, who also won five consecutive league titles.[192] WithAndrea Barzagli's retirement, the subsequent Bonucci–Chiellini axis was considered, in terms of longevity and performance at high levels, one of the most solid and complementary in international football, as well as being compared to duets from the past such asBeckenbauer–Schwarzenbeck,Scirea–Gentile orBaresi–Costacurta.[193] Chiellini also proved to be a popular captain with the Italy national team, stating that a captain's role was to ease the tension for the rest of the team during important moments.[194] Moreover, he possessed a strong mentality, good temperament under pressure, determination, and excellent concentration, as well as an ability to organise his back-line.[152][12][195] Despite his ability as a defender however, Cheillini often struggled with injuries in later seasons.[196] In 2021, Polish strikerRobert Lewandowski named Chiellini andSergio Ramos as the toughest defenders he has ever faced.[197]
Shortly after his retirement, in January 2024, Chiellini was appointed by his former teamLos Angeles FC as a Player Development Coach in the staff of managerSteve Cherundolo.[198][199] He later departed from this role on 16 July 2024.[200][201]
In September 2024, Chiellini announced that he is now an investor with Mercury/13, a women's multi-club network that ownsFC Como Women in Serie A. His time playing in Los Angeles which coincided withAngel City FC's debut season inspired him to invest in the women's game. In a statement Chiellini said:
"After spending time in the U.S., I saw the incredible strides women's football is making there and how much potential it still has to unlock in Europe. That experience inspired me, and I'm proud to be part of a project that's all about creating new opportunities for female athletes and taking the sport to the next level internationally."[203]
In March 2022, Chiellini wrote an article entitled "We must no longer pretend that racism doesn’t exist in our society" forFIFPRO's series that highlights the personal impact ofracism and discrimination in the game from the players’ perspectives.[204]
In July 2014, Chiellini married his long-time girlfriend Carolina Bonistalli at a private Catholic ceremony at theSanctuary of Montenero inLivorno.[205] The couple have two daughters.[206][207][208] That same year, he published a book,C'è un angelo bianconero. Il mio maestro si chiama Scirea.[209]
In 2020, Chiellini released his autobiographyIo, Giorgio, with the profits going to theinsuperabili charity during theCOVID-19 pandemic in Italy. However, Chiellini attracted controversy due to his strong criticism of his former club and international teammatesFelipe Melo andMario Balotelli in his book.[209][213][214]
^Paolo Menicucci (17 June 2008)."L'Italia si sveglia e vola ai quarti" [Italy wake up and fly on to the quarter-finals] (in Italian). UEFA. Retrieved4 May 2015.
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