Italy meets Argentina, the European champions meet the South American champions. A special game – especially for Giorgio Chiellini.
Chiellini has already played his last game for Juventus Turin, but the last act with the Squadra Azzurra is still to come for the edgy defender. The 37-year-old’s unique career in Italy’s national team will come to an end at the 2022 Finalissima.
At Wembley, where Chiellini was allowed to lift the trophy for the European champions into the evening sky with Italy in the summer of 2021. “Unimaginable” was his career, Chiellini said before his 117th and last international match.
“I have fulfilled my biggest dream,” Chiellini said at his final press conference as an international ahead of the clash with Argentina and Lionel Messi. “As a kid, I could never have thought or even hoped to get this far. “
However, he did, even if it didn’t look good in the Italian jersey at first. The Squadra Azzurra were eliminated in the preliminary round at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups with Chiellini, Italy didn’t even make it in 2018 and in 2022 the reigning European champions will be missing from the World Cup again after a 1-0 loss to North Macedonia in the play-offs. “Of course I would have wanted to rewrite my history with World Cups, unfortunately it didn’t work out,” Chiellini said.
With the title at the European Championship, he at least provided a conciliatory ending. “I believe in fate,” said Chiellini, which is why there were the “notti magiche”, the magical nights of the European Championship 2021. In 2012, Chiellini was still defeated by Spain in the final, but was allowed to cheer after a 3:2 draw against England.
And as European champion, he will now play in the 2022 final against Argentina. “I always wanted to finish at a high level,” said Chiellini. “And now I have achieved that. “
