In September, Giorgio Chiellini will embark on a new chapter in his football journey, one that feels reminiscent of a first day at school. After more than 800 days apart, the paths of Juventus and their former captain are set to cross again. This long-anticipated reunion has been in the works since his emotional farewell in May 2022, marked by tears from fans at the Stadium. Now, it’s finally happening. Juventus is welcoming back Chiellini, one of the club’s most loyal and successful players, but this time he will take on a different role.
No longer the warrior on the field, Chiellini will step into the shoes of an apprentice director. After finishing his time in the United States, he will return to life in Turin at the end of August and fully rejoin the club in September. As he approaches his 40th birthday, Chiellini is set to begin a new journey within the Juventus organization. He will be working closely with the club’s CEO, Maurizio Scanavino, focusing on the business side of the organization.
Although Chiellini has an impressive resume with 561 appearances for Juventus, he must now learn about football management from a different perspective. His understanding of the game is unparalleled, yet he’s transitioning from a player’s viewpoint to grasping the intricacies of the business, from finances to marketing. He has already begun to gain insights into this world during his time with Los Angeles FC, his final club as a player, where he took part in management training.
While still an active player, Chiellini earned a degree in Business Administration, blending his technical football abilities with newfound business acumen. This combination has led many within Juventus, and beyond, to see him as a potential future great like Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who excelled both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
Chiellini’s transition will occur gradually, relying on the same humility and eagerness to learn that helped him reach great heights with Italy, starting from his hometown of Livorno. Initially, he may not assume high-profile positions similar to those of Pavel Nedved, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, or Paolo Maldini at Juventus. Instead, Chiellini will likely spend more time in the club’s offices than in the training facilities, engaging more with Scanavino than with fellow football figures like Cristiano Giuntoli or Thiago Motta, whom he played alongside in the national team.
While Chiellini’s responsibilities won’t involve technical or market decisions at first, he will play an active and operational role within the organization. His return also signifies a shift in Juventus’s management structure, which began last year with the arrival of sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, and has since been solidified with the addition of trusted collaborators. Chiellini will find a markedly different Juventus than the one he left as a player, but he will also reconnect with familiar faces, including his brother Claudio, who serves as the sporting director of Juventus Next Gen.