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Chiellini to say ‘ciao’ to Italy after Finalissima with Argentina


Milan (AFP) – Giorgio Chiellini will bring down the curtain on his international career this summer after Italy face Argentina in the so-called ‘Finalissima’ at Wembley, the site of his greatest career triumph.

The 37-year-old was one of the key figures of the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 victory, captaining his country to a dramatic win over England at the iconic stadium where he will lead out his countrymen on June 1.

The Finalissima is a new match which pits the European and South American champions against each other in a one-off encounter.

“I’ll say goodbye to the national team at Wembley, where I reached the highest point of my career by winning the Euro,” he told DAZN after Juventus’ 2-1 Serie A win at Sassuolo on Monday night.

“I’d like to say goodbye to the Azzurri with a nice memory. It will definitely be my last game for Italy.”

Chiellini, who has been capped 116 times, was hoping to take part in one more World Cup before saying ‘ciao’ to fans, but Italy missed out on the 2022 tournament in Qatar, hastening the centre-back’s departure from the international game.

He has had a mixed Italy career, reaching the Euro 2012 final — where Italy were outclassed by Spain losing 4-0 — but had a difficult time at World Cup finals.

Italy exited in the group stage both in 2010 — when they were the defending champions — and 2014 before slumping to a historic play-off defeat to Sweden in 2017 which cost them a place in the 2018 tournament.

Chiellini also suffered the ignominy of being bitten by Luis Suarez as Italy exited behind Uruguay and Costa Rica in 2014.

Roberto Mancini’s side have to wait until at least 2026 to take part in football’s global showpiece after being knocked out of the 2022 edition in Qatar by North Macedonia, again in the play-offs, last month.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. M Igliatielli

    May 1, 2022 at 11:05 pm

    As you can see FIFA is against Italy compared to UEFA which is clean. But it’s not only the Suarez bite that was convieniently not seen by the ref just like the hand ball & offside by Macedonia when they scored, the Macedonian pulling on a corner kick for which no penalty was given while 2 Italy corners were cancelled because there was supposedly pulling by Italy players which wasn’t even true. The Macedonian keeper held the ball for 16 seconds instead of the 6 allowed but no indirect free kick in the box was given. I’ve never seen diving as obvious as Macedonia’s but they were given their free kicks instead of yellow cards while when we were hurt the ref didn’t care. Worse of all is that I seem the only Italian sticking up for Italy which isn’t enough to stop the “populism” which Infantino has adopted by favoring teams like Macedonia since Italy refused to back his biennial world cup scheme. He wasn’t kidding when he said “Italy is either in or out.” But we don’t want more world cups if they’re going to be more rigged ones like 2002 which saw 5 Italy goals wrongly disallowed & 2 penalties not given to Italy. Instead Totti was sent off for supposedly diving which wasn’t true. 2 Italy players received head injuries in that game but no punishment was given. Even in 2010 Paraguay’s goal on Italy should have been disallowed for climbing, New Zealand’s against Italy was offside, & the corner that led to one of Slovakia’s goals against Italy was nonexistent. Meanwhile Quagliarella had 2 good goals not counted & was punched in the face by the Slovakian keeper without punishment. Even Sweden got away with fouling Italy’s Darmian in the box in the playoffs for 2018 just like Bulgaria did this time around. In 2006 we won but the FIFA president stormed out of the stadium in a rage. Platini former FIFA vice president confessed that France was helped to win the 98 world cup which must be why the elbow Cannavaro took to the face from Guivarch didn’t result in a red card just like the many fouls & potential penalties when Argentina “beat” us in 1990. That’s the answer to the question as to why Italy beats Spain, Belgium & England in UEFA sanctioned matches but can’t beat Macedonia in a FIFA sanctioned match. Don’t be surprised if Italy beats Argentina in this Finalissima because it isn’t sanctioned by FIFA.

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