Sing it loud and proud, Giorgio Chiellini.
LAFC’s new star defender hasn’t yet played a game for his new club, but he’s getting a crash course in all things Black & Gold before he’s eligible to debut July 8 against the LA Galaxy in El Trafico.
For the Juventus and Italian legend, that meant – at US men’s national team midfielder Kellyn Acosta’s urging – singing LAFC’s victory song before their 3252 supporters’ group after Wednesday night’s resounding 3-1 home victory over FC Dallas pushed their Supporters’ Shield lead to five points at the 2022 season’s halfway mark (11W-3L-3D record, 36 points).
“Sha la la la la la la... L-A-F-C!” Chiellini belted with a megaphone in hand, as his new teammates sprayed him with water, dampening the tailored suit the 37-year-old wore to his arrival press conference earlier that evening.
Jumping up and down, with an ear-to-ear smile as fans and players alike celebrated, it suggested he’ll perhaps fit right in at Banc of California Stadium.
As celebratory as Chiellini and LAFC were, their charges are only going to strengthen in the coming days. LAFC recently completed a deal for ex-Real Madrid megastar forward Gareth Bale, who’s powered Wales to the Qatar 2022 World Cup and was once the world’s most expensive signing upon leaving Tottenham. Club captain Carlos Vela, the 2019 league MVP, is back on a Designated Player deal, while Bale and Chiellini both have Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) contracts.
In other words, the world-renowned center back is entering a club with an incredibly strong foundation, one that’s sparking dreams of MLS silverware on multiple fronts this year. That’s something he’d know well as a Euro 2020 champion with Italy and nine-time Serie A champion with Juventus.
Given how the tea leaves are forming, Chiellini might have to get accustomed to more song-filled nights in Hollywood.
