LAFC defender Giorgio Chiellini to retire from football after MLS Cup final defeat to Columbus Crew as 39-year-old Italy legend is linked with return to Juventus in boardroom role

The Italian legend will confirm his retirement on Tuesday afternoon, GOAL can confirm. The 39-year-old, who spent the last two years with LAFC in MLS, hinted at the possibility of retirement after his 2023 MLS season ended with a defeat to Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup Final.

It has been suggested that Chiellini might return to his old stomping ground at the Allianz Stadium in Turin as a football administrator after hanging up his boots at the age of 39. In fact, his brother Claudio is already leading the Next Gen scheme at Juventus. However, there is also a possibility that Chiellini will continue to stay in the United States for another six months to recharge his batteries after a long playing career, which means any move to Juve will be put off until next summer.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Chiellini himself made a "come and get me" plea and said: "I see Juventus in my future. I don't know in what role, but it's a place where I've spent almost half my life."

During his illustrious career, Chiellini made 561 appearances for Juventus, scoring 36 goals. He secured numerous accolades, including nine Serie A titles, five Supercoppa Italiana, and five Coppa Italia victories. Additionally, Chiellini reached the Champions League Final twice, in 2015 and 2017.

Chiellini also captained Italy during the 2020 European Championship, leading the Azzurri to a final victory over England at Wembley Stadium.

Chiellini has also expressed an interest in contributing to the development of MLS, keeping the possibility of working in the league open. It is believed that there has been no contact between Juventus and Chiellini as of yet, but the possibility of a potential return cannot be ruled out.