Injuries had robbed Giorgio Chiellini of several career-defining moments, from missing the Champions League final to being forced out of the Euro final. But at this year’s European Championship, the long-suffering Italian defender finally turned the tables, scoring the opener in a 2-0 victory over Spain—a personal act of revenge reminiscent of Juventus legend Zinedine Zidane’s knockout of the same opponent a decade ago.
Since Fabio Cannavaro lifted the World Cup, Chiellini has been regarded as Italy’s most reliable defender of the past decade. Yet his career has been plagued by ill-timed setbacks that don’t seem to match his imposing physique. In the Euro final years ago, he was pushed into playing left-back while injured, only to last 20 minutes before hobbling off, watching helplessly as Italy fell 0-4 to Spain. At the 2014 World Cup, he stayed on the pitch but became infamous for being bitten by Uruguay’s Luis Suárez—a foul the referee failed to punish—which contributed to Italy’s group-stage elimination.
Even in the Champions League final against Barcelona, Chiellini was sidelined by injury, missing the chance to face Suárez again. But in this European Championship, fate handed him a long-awaited rematch with Spain—and he seized it. In the 33rd minute, Éder’s free kick forced an uncharacteristic spill from David de Gea, and Chiellini pounced first, stabbing the ball into the net. It was his seventh goal in 87 appearances for the national team, with six of those coming in competitive matches: one each in the Euros and World Cup qualifiers, one in the Confederations Cup, and now one in this tournament, along with a brace in qualifying against Azerbaijan.
Beyond scoring, Chiellini anchored Italy’s famed BBC defensive trio alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli to shut down the reigning champions. Together, they tallied 11 clearances, 9 interceptions, and 6 blocked shots, with Chiellini alone contributing 3 clearances, 3 interceptions, a tackle, and 2 aerial duel wins—showcasing his dominance in the box. Spain’s Álvaro Morata, once his Juventus teammate and leading scorer in the tournament, was completely neutralized.
Chiellini became only the fourth Juventus player to score against Spain in European Championship history, joining Michel Platini, Michael Laudrup, and Zinedine Zidane—all attacking legends, making him the only defender on the list. He is also the first Italian defender since Christian Panucci in 2008 to score at the Euros, and just the third defender ever to net against Spain in the competition’s history.
For fans tracking Italy’s resurgence and Chiellini’s redemption arc on the Melbet App, this match was a showcase of grit, leadership, and seizing the moment. The Melbet App offers in-depth stats and real-time updates on defensive duels, goal contributions, and tournament milestones, ensuring supporters don’t miss a single chapter of Italy’s quest for glory. And as Chiellini proved, in football, patience and perseverance can eventually bring the sweetest revenge.