The game comes close to 11 months after Chiellini lifted the
Euro 2020 trophy into the London sky in the same stadium, and shortly after he
ended his long club career at Juventus after 17 years.
“I fulfilled my biggest dream,” the 37-year-old defender
said at his last national team press conference ahead of what will be his 117th
cap, looking back at the Euro title. “As a child I never thought or imagined of
coming this far,” he said.
Chiellini came to Juve via Liverno and Fiorentina, and won
nine Serie A titles and five Italian Cups with the Turin club.
But there were also two lost UEFA Champions League finals,
and Italy did also not shine at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. They did not
even qualify at all for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Chiellini has still made it into the World Cup history
books, but only as the victim of Luis Suarez’ infamous bite in 2014.
“Of course I would have liked to rewrite my story with world
championships but unfortunately that didn’t happen,” he said.
The magical run to the Euro title last year at least partly
made up for it, and Chiellini must now decide what he will do after Wednesday.
There is speculation he may continue playing in the U.S.,
but Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has already said “we will miss him,
on and off the pitch.”
Father of two Chiellini, who has a Master’s degree in
Business Administration, has been praised for his friendly appearance and said
he saw himself as a motivator and “big brother” for others.
That will be for the last time on Wednesday as he said “I
always wanted to quit at the top level. And I have managed that now.”