Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Italian Football Legend Andrea Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo Juventus, Singapore sports hub debut game 2014. Photo by Chensiyuan- Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Italian Football Legend Andrea Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo is a retired Italian professional footballer who is widely perceived as one of the greatest midfield players. He was born on May 19, 1979, and is renowned for his control of the ball, free kick skill, good ball passer, and innovation.

He played for the Italian national team and mostly Italian clubs before joining the MLS franchise. Pirlo started his professional club football career as an attacking midfielder with Brescia.

In 1997, he assisted the club win the Serie B title and gain promotion to the Serie A.

1.Andrea’s amazing sportsmanship in all of the clubs he played for

This is one of Andrea Pirlo’s essential facts.  Pirlo began his career at Brescia; at the age of 16, he made his Serie A debut, becoming the team’s youngest footballer to do so. The midfielder later played for Inter Milan and Reggina. He joined A.C Milan on 30 June 2001 for €17,043,078 and played under Carlo Ancelotti.

He evolved into a world-class player at A.C Milan. “He transformed my career by putting me in charge of the defense. We had some extraordinary experiences together. We had a fantastic history together ” Pirlo stated. He spent ten seasons with the Rossoneri, winning two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia title, and two UEFA Champions Leagues. He joined Juventus in 2011 and made his first appearance in a friendly against Sporting CP.

“When Andrea told me he was joining us, the first thing I thought was: “God exists,” Gianluigi Buffon said of his transfer to I Bianconeri. A player of his caliber and ability, let alone the fact that he was free, I believe it was the signing of the century!”

Andrea Pirlo left I Bianconeri after four seasons to join New York City. The Italian legend announced his retirement at the end of the 2017-18 season.

Pirlo represented Italy in six main matches, including two UEFA European Championships, two FIFA World Cups, and two FIFA Confederations Cups. The legend won the 2006 World Cup with the Italian national team.

2.He had an iconic moment on the pitch while playing the FIFA 2006

In the 2006 World Cup semi-finals, Italy and Germany faced off. Both teams had opportunities to score however, Buffon kept the Italians in the game and post did the heavy lifting for the Germans.

Pirlo, on the other hand, had other ideas and lured Germany to block a shot from outside the box. It resulted in a corner, which started the move that resulted in Italy’s first goal of the game.

Pirlo surprised the German defense when he set up Fabio Grosso for the goal. Italy eventually won the tournament.

3.Pirlo’s was the greatest player of all time and had the ability to player from any side of the pitch

Andrea Pirlo players of Juventus FC. Photo by Валерий Дудуш- Wikimedia commons

Pirlo was skilfully able to perform in many midfield positions however, his team and national clubs usually deployed him as a central midfielder, in the role of a strong playmaker, this is because of his eyesight and passing precision.

Pirlo, an extremely talented and innovative player, is perceived as one of the finest players ever in his position by players, managers, and pundits; all across his career, he was arguably one of the finest midfielders in the world and of his era.

Pirlo began his career as an attacking midfielder, but he also played as a supporting striker at certain moments. Pirlo was a gifted young player, people compared him to retired Italian footballer Gianni Rivera, but he found his role hard at times because he lacked speed and competition from other skilled and more effective players in his position.

As a result, his coaches Mazzone, Terim, and Ancelotti eventually transferred him to a deep-lying playmaker role, where he excelled because of his special attributes.

Pirlo’s abilities were best utilized in this role, which enabled him to function inventively from a deeper role, in or even behind the main midfield line, in a seemly defensive midfield position, where he was given more time on the ball to establish scoring chances with his signature style long balls.

Pirlo was used on the wing by Allegri during his final season with Milan because of his capacity to provide precise passes.

4.Andrea’s early childhood and brief family background

  Andrea Pirlo was born on April 13, 1978, in Flero, Italy. Andrea Pirlo grew up in a rich family; his father, Luigi Pirlo, established a metal trading company in 1982. When his family went on vacation to Tuscany, he played football on the sand with his brother.

He spent his childhood in Brescia, where he honed his football skills.
Pirlo began his career at Brescia, and his coach, Francoonce, once said, “When we finished training, I had to cut off the power to make Andrea go home, or he’d have practiced all night.”

5.His family dynamic as an adult and his private life away from fame

In 2001, Andrea Pirlo married Deborah Roversi. The couple has two children, a son named Niccol and a daughter named Angela. Their thirteen-year marriage ended in 2014 after his affair with Valentina Baldini was revealed.

Pirlo and Baldini’s twins, Leonardo and Tommaso, were born in July 2017. Pirlo owns a stake in Elg Steel, his father’s metal trading company in Brescia. He owns a winery in Italy because he enjoys wine. Pirlo’s autobiography, PensoQuindiGioco (I Think, So I Play), was published in 2013.

6.Andrea’s has acquired multiple different nicknames over the years

Andrea Pirlo. Photo by Рыбакова Елена- Wikimedia commons

Pirlo was dubbed “the Architect” by teammates on the Italian national team because of the way he built plays and set up goal-scoring chances with long, flung through passes. Later in his career, Juventus fans dubbed him il professore (“the professor”), Maestro, and Mozart, all in regard to the Austrian composer’s remarkable talent.

Pirlo was commonly related to Albertini, a fellow former Milan and Italy playmaker, early in his Milan career because of their comparable qualities and playing style.

Pirlo was widely regarded as Albertini’s heir for both Milan and the national team; while at Milan, he earned the nickname “Metronome” for the way he impacted tournaments by controlling the pace of his team’s play with his clear, accurate, and effective midfield passing game, as well as his power to make himself accessible to team members to obtain and pass the ball.

7.He got a chance to score after getting a free kick at Maracana in 2013

Pirlo’s career has been littered with stunning freekicks. Nevertheless, his goal against Mexico at the legendary Maracana Stadium stands out as it marked his 100th appearance for the Azzurri. The freekick helped Italy defeat Mexico 2-1 in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. What a way to mark his 100th international appearance for Italy!

8.Andrea’s had one of his greatest successes whilst playing for Juventus

It’s easy to believe Pirlo was impactful at Juventus as he won back-to-back Serie A titles. He won nine titles at AC Milan but only seven at Juventus. Did Pirlo, however, win the Champions League? Pirlo twice won the Champions League with AC Milan.

9.Pirlo’s amazing legendary 35-yard assist when he was in Brescia

Pirlo played in his iconic position for the first time at Brescia during his loan stint. Here he delivered a remarkable 35-yard assist for Baggio to collect, dribble past the goalkeeper and score. To this very day, Roberto Baggio cannot deny that his favourite goal was the one he scored in 2001 for Brescia against Juventus.

10.After retiring as a football player he decided to become a football manager

Andrea Pirlo Juventus, Singapore sports hub debut game 2014. Photo by Chensiyuan- Wikimedia commons

Just after his retirement, the Professor was appointed the new football manager of Juventus U23 on July 30, 2020, and nine days later, after Maurizio Sarri was fired, he was appointed head coach of the club’s first team.