Italy and Turkey, who were unlucky to lose in the World Cup play-offs, faced off in a heated international friendly on Tuesday evening (29). It is worth mentioning that Italy's 37-year-old captain, Chiarliani, lost control of his emotions when he was substituted in the middle of the match, kissed the captain's armband with deep emotion and left a message on social media platforms after the match, all of these behaviors suggesting that he may be about to bid farewell to the national team.
Recall that Italy unexpectedly lost to North Macedonia in the World Cup play-offs and failed to enter the final round for the second consecutive time. In this international friendly match against Turkey, Italy made a big change in the lineup, and some core players didn't even appear in the list, but finally won 3-2 on the road and successfully cleared the haze of consecutive defeats. As for the captain Chiarliani, although the first appearance, but in 76 minutes was replaced, he took off the captain armband, suddenly kissed, and then put on the goalkeeper Donna Lomma's armband, the expression looks very reluctant to give up.
After the match, 37-year-old Chiarliani made a statement on his personal social media platform, seemingly bidding farewell to his national team career: Last Thursday was a sad day, but there are always low points in a career, and it's important to have the courage to get back on your feet. I believe in these players, they can continue to write brilliantly for Italian soccer, let us relive the good times of last summer. Always root for the Blues! Chiarliani has made 116 appearances and scored 8 goals since he first became a member of the national team on November 17, 2004, tying him with fellow Hall of Famer Pailou for 5th most appearances behind Martini, Di Ross, Jannevalu, and Paufon.
