"I was one step away from signing for Madrid"

At the age of 38, Chiellini is in the last throes of his career. The Italian defender, who is trying to establish himself at Los Angeles FC, spoke to 'Fanat Rft', of which he is an ambassador, and revealed that he was close to joining Real Madrid.

"I was one step away from signing for Madrid. Davide Lippi, my agent, knows better than me because I'm not very interested in these things. I have always been a person very focused on playing. I can say that it would have been a good experience, because I am someone who likes to travel a lot. I missed getting to know new cultures and maybe that's also one of the reasons why I've come to play football in the United States now," he said.

Chiellini said that coming to La Liga would not have been good for his style of play: "I don't think I'm a suitable player for Spanish football. I would have done like Cannavaro and Samuel (Walter), who went to play in Spain and spent 2-3 years there. I would probably have been a more suitable defender for English football, but even there, when you are over 30, it's difficult to follow the type of game".

"In those leagues after 2-3 seasons they always find young players to replace you. Madrid's interest was an honour, but I can say that I am very happy with how I have done. To be able to write history at a club like Juventus is not something that everyone can do," he concluded.