Intercontinental Championship: Italy loses Giorgio Chiellini's last international match

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Giorgio Chiellini (right) lost his 117th and last international match

Photo: BEN STANSALL / AFP

Almost ten weeks after the bitter World Cup, Italy lost the next game on the big international stage.

The Azzurri lost 3-0 (2-0) to South America champion Argentina at Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday evening.

It was the »Finalissima« comparison between the continental champions of Europe and South America, which was held for the first time in 29 years.

The Italians won the European Championship last year by beating England 3-2 on penalties, also at Wembley.

The Argentines around superstar Lionel Messi had won the Copa America by beating Brazil 1-0.

Italy's captain Giorgio Chiellini announced his departure from the national team in the 117th international match of his career.

The goals for the Albiceleste in front of 87,112 spectators were achieved by Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan (28th), Angel di Maria (45th + 2), who was last under contract with the French series champion Paris St. Germain, and Paolo Dybala from Juventus Turin in the Playback time.

Chiellini was substituted for Manuel Lazzari at the break.

Argentina also won 29 years ago

The »Finalissima« cannot be described as a traditional competition.

So far there have only been two editions of the intercontinental tournament.

In 1985, France beat Uruguay 2-0 in Paris.

In 1993, Argentina defeated Denmark 5-4 on penalties in their home Mar del Plata.

In the third edition, the Italians were clearly inferior to the 37-year-old favorite Chiellini.

Argentina largely dominated the action, much to the delight of the numerous Argentinian fans.

Messi in particular could have provided a higher result but was denied by his Parisian club-mate Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Italian goal.

"I think they played better than us," said Italy coach Roberto Mancini.

Bitter farewell for Giorgio Chiellini

The Italian press harshly criticized the Italians' next disappointing performance under coach Roberto Mancini.

'The story of Mancini's beautiful Italy is over.

We have to start completely or almost completely from scratch," said La Gazetta dello Sport in its online edition. 

It was a bitter evening, especially for Italy's captain Giorgio Chiellini.

The delightful clash with Messi's Argentina was the centre-back's 117th cap, almost two decades after his debut.

"As a child, I could never have thought or even hoped to get that far," the defense attorney had previously said.

Born in Pisa, Chiellini came to record champions Juventus Turin via AS Livorno and AC Florence in 2005, where he shaped an era in 17 years with nine championship titles and five cup wins.

At the end of the past season, Chiellini announced his departure from Juventus Turin.

Chiellini left open whether he would change or end his career.

The veteran will no longer be there at the start of the new Nations League season against Germany on Saturday (8.45 p.m. / RTL).

And otherwise there will probably be many new players on the pitch.

Mancini announced that he wanted to renew the team after missing out on World Cup qualification.

The old guard, who became European champions last year, are slowly saying goodbye to the national team.

kjo/dpa