Italy’s 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Argentina marked Giorgio Chiellini’s swansong in the national colours. He will also leave Juventus this summer.
But Chiellini admits in one of his recent interviews that he could have continued to play for the Old Lady if Roberto Mancini’s Italy had qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is going to be hosted in Qatar.
Speaking to Sportweek, the 37-year-old defender said,
“Yes, I would have continued because I wanted to try to change my history with the World Cup, which has never been happy. I tried. with all of myself, but I couldn’t.
“In 2010, we came out badly in a more than affordable group; in 2014, we had a great start but we complicated our lives by losing our seeded place because then we played in really prohibitive conditions, with crazy travel, schedules and heat.
“In 2018, we didn’t even qualify and I had this great regret. Do you think that if we had qualified for Russia I would have left the national team after that World Cup? And I probably would have been hurt, because then I had my best years.”
Chiellini had a contract at Juventus until June 2023, but he has decided to leave the club one season early. Multiple reports have claimed that he has found an agreement with MLS franchise Los Angeles FC.
