1. At club level, Giorgio Chiellini began his career with Livorno in 2000, later playing for Fiorentina on loan as well.
50 Facts About Giorgio Chiellini
1. 2.
Giorgio Chiellini was named in the Serie A Team of the Year five times, and was elected the league's Defender of the Year on three consecutive occasions between 2008 and 2010.
3.
Giorgio Chiellini departed to the United States to join Los Angeles FC in 2022, winning the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup in his first season, before announcing his retirement the following year at the age of 39.
4.
Giorgio Chiellini represented Italy in four UEFA European Championships, two FIFA World Cups and two FIFA Confederations Cups.
5.
Giorgio Chiellini captained the Azzurri to the UEFA Euro 2020 title, and was part of the sides that reached the final of Euro 2012 and achieved a third-place finish at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
6.
Giorgio Chiellini retired from international football in 2022 with 117 caps, making him Italy's joint fifth-highest appearance holder.
7.
Giorgio Chiellini was raised in Livorno and is one of twin boys.
8.
Giorgio Chiellini joined the youth teams at Livorno at age six and started out as a central midfielder.
9.
Giorgio Chiellini played in the club's youth academy between 1990 and 2000.
10.
Giorgio Chiellini became a regular under Fabio Capello and made 23 appearances in his first season with the club, helping the Old Lady to their 29th scudetto.
11.
Giorgio Chiellini had a tremendous season and eventually made the position his own.
12.
Giorgio Chiellini has been a regular fixture in the Juventus backline since their return to Serie A and was notably named Man of the Match in a game against Juventus rivals, Internazionale when he won a physical and heated duel with former teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic, keeping the Swedish striker at bay.
13.
Giorgio Chiellini extended his original contract from until 2009 to 2011 on 12 October 2006.
14.
On 23 November 2010, Giorgio Chiellini extended his contract with Juventus again until 30 June 2015 and was given a pay raise.
15.
Under manager Antonio Conte, Giorgio Chiellini returned to his original position at left back due to Barzagli and Bonucci's good run of form.
16.
Giorgio Chiellini was the only Italian player to be nominated for the 2013 UEFA Team of the Year.
17.
On 24 November, Giorgio Chiellini was nominated for the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year.
18.
Giorgio Chiellini later lifted the trophy as Juventus became the first Italian club ever to win consecutive domestic doubles.
19.
On 11 January 2018, Giorgio Chiellini was named to the 2017 UEFA Team of the Year.
20.
On 29 June 2018, Giorgio Chiellini was given a two-year contract extension until 2020 and named the club's new captain after the departure of Buffon.
21.
Juventus ended the season as league champions, with Giorgio Chiellini capturing his record eighth Serie A title with the club.
22.
Giorgio Chiellini returned on 16 February 2020, in a match against Brescia, replacing Leonardo Bonucci in the 78th minute.
23.
On 29 June, Giorgio Chiellini signed a new contract with Juventus, extending until June 2021.
24.
On 2 August 2021, Giorgio Chiellini renewed his contract with Juventus, signing a two-year contract extension until June 2023.
25.
On 13 June 2022, Giorgio Chiellini agreed to join Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC on a contract through 2023 using Targeted Allocation Money.
26.
On 12 December 2023, three days after LAFC were defeated in the MLS Cup final by Columbus Crew, Giorgio Chiellini announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39.
27.
Giorgio Chiellini represented Italy at all youth levels, and he won the European Under-19 Championship with Italy in 2003, and was a member of the Italy team that won the bronze medal at the football tournament of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
28.
Giorgio Chiellini participated in the 2006 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.
29.
Giorgio Chiellini was named in the 'UEFA Team of the tournament' of the 2007 U-21 Championships held in the Netherlands, where Italy obtained qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
30.
Giorgio Chiellini made his debut for the Italy national team on 17 November 2004 against Finland under Marcello Lippi, at the age of 20.
31.
Giorgio Chiellini was called up to Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2008 under manager Roberto Donadoni, and injured captain Fabio Cannavaro in a collision during a training session, that resulted in Cannavaro missing out on the tournament.
32.
Giorgio Chiellini played the full 90 minutes in all three group matches at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup but Italy were eliminated at the group stages on goal difference.
33.
Giorgio Chiellini was the starting Italy centre back, along with Cannavaro, in the 2010 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 or keep a clean sheet.
34.
Under Cesare Prandelli, Giorgio Chiellini was the starting centre back during Italy's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
35.
On 10 October 2014 in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Azerbaijan in Palermo, Giorgio Chiellini put Italy ahead with a first-half header.
36.
On 31 May 2016, Giorgio Chiellini was named to Conte's 23-man Italy squad for Euro 2016.
37.
Giorgio Chiellini was called up to the national team in September 2018, by manager Roberto Mancini, for Italy's opening UEFA Nations League matches against Poland and Portugal later that month.
38.
Giorgio Chiellini was named the new captain of the Italy national team following Gianluigi Buffon's international retirement.
39.
In June 2021, Giorgio Chiellini was included in Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2020.
40.
On 25 April 2022, Giorgio Chiellini announced that he would retire from international football after the 2022 Finalissima against reigning Copa America champions Argentina on 1 June.
41.
Giorgio Chiellini began his professional career as a defensive-minded left-back, but later made his name as an aggressive, courageous, physical, and hard-tackling centre-back, with a penchant for scoring headers from set-pieces, due to his height, aerial prowess, athleticism, and strength.
42.
Giorgio Chiellini is from another planet; he can mark three players by himself.
43.
Giorgio Chiellini 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.
44.
Shortly after his retirement, on 16 January 2024, Giorgio Chiellini was appointed by his former team Los Angeles FC as a Player Development Coach in the staff of manager Steve Cherundolo.
45.
Giorgio Chiellini later departed from this role on 16 July 2024.
46.
In March 2022, Giorgio Chiellini wrote an article entitled "We must no longer pretend that racism doesn't exist in our society" for FIFPRO's series that highlights the personal impact of racism and discrimination in the game from the players' perspectives.
47.
In May 2024, Giorgio Chiellini joined the Fox Sports broadcast team as a studio analyst for UEFA Euro 2024.
48.
In July 2014, Giorgio Chiellini married his long-time girlfriend Carolina Bonistalli at a private Catholic ceremony at the Sanctuary of Montenero in Livorno.
49.
In 2020, Chiellini released his autobiography Io, Giorgio, with the profits going to the insuperabili charity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.
50.
However, Giorgio Chiellini attracted controversy due to his strong criticism of his former club and international teammates Felipe Melo and Mario Balotelli in his book.