Italian football great Giorgio Chiellini has bought an equity stake in Major League Soccer franchise Los Angeles FC, the club said in a statement on Tuesday. The 40-year-old, who ended his playing career with LAFC in 2023, joins an ownership group that already counts former NBA star Magic Johnson and actor Will Ferrell among its investors. Financial terms of Chiellini’s investment were not disclosed. “Joining the LAFC ownership group is a great honour for me,” Chiellini said, adding that he felt the club was “something special” from his first day in Los Angeles. After retiring, the former defender spent the 2024 season working with LAFC’s player-development staff, a role the club said helped pave the way for his move into the boardroom. Chiellini played 45 matches for LAFC across all competitions, helping the team win both the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in 2022. Before moving to the United States, he enjoyed a decorated 17-year spell at Juventus, where he collected nine consecutive Serie A titles, and captained Italy to victory at Euro 2020. The appointment underscores a wider trend of high-profile European retirees taking executive or ownership roles in North American soccer as MLS clubs seek to raise their international profile and build deeper ties with former players.