GOODBYE GIORGIO

Nicholas D'Agostino

Well it’s official, Juventus’ Captain Giorgio Chiellini will leave the club after a legendary 17 year career with Juve. In Juve’s last home this season, Chiellini received a massive ovation for his long career at his beloved club. At the end of the match, he received a tribute on behalf of the entire club and its fans to commemorate his time at Juventus.

Chiellini is undoubtedly a Juventus legend as has been the team’s focal point for so long. He helped win a record nine Serie A championships for Juventus as well as five Coppa Italia titles and five Suppercoppa Italiana titles.

Chiellini was subbed off at halftime which officially put his Juve career to end. When looking back over the years, Chiellini has been a staple in the Juventus defense. He has always brought his best to the pitch each and every time he goes out there and many Juventus players have followed in his footsteps.

Chiellini truly represents what it means to be a Juventus player as he plays the game with such passion, leadership, aggression and energy. Chiellini’s leadership is also the reason he is a Juventus legend, captaining this team both on and off the field for so many years.

Chiellini is considered as one of the best defenders of his generation because of his natural defending ability, strength, and aggressiveness. He can be put into the same category as other world class defenders of his generation like Sergio Ramos, Gerrad Pique, Thiago Silva and his partner in crime Leonardo Bonnucci.

The Juve vet really cemented his legacy this past summer when he captained Italy’s national team and helped win a Euro cup for his nation. He was instrumental in that tournament as the Azzurri's defense was nearly unbeatable. As sad as it is to see Chiellini move on from Italy, it was nice to see him win a well-deserved trophy for his nation.

There are rumors speculating that Chiellini will move to the MLS and sign with Los Angeles FC. If these rumors are true I believe that it will be good for him because he can experience something new that he has yet to experience in the world of football.

Now Chiellini hasn’t hung up the boots just yet, but for anyone who is a fan of this sport, it can be a little sad as this is undoubtedly one step closer to retirement for Chiellini. This also symbolizes the end of an era in the soccer world as many players from this generation are getting up there in age and are starting to retire. While this may not be the end of Chiellini’s career, Juventus will surely miss him and so will all fans of football.