He is the embodiment of the midfield maestro, like a conductor who controls the rhythm of the whole team. He has sleepy eyes that are always half-asleep, but he is as sharp as an owl, and he can always catch the ever-changing fighters on the field. His escape moves are chic and free, his long passes are extremely accurate, and the ball is even more incomprehensible. He is Andrea Pirlo, an artist who interprets art with football.
Pirlo, the young talent born in Brescia, although rumors circulated on the Internet that he was a super-rich second generation, are actually a slight exaggeration. However, the Pirlo family's prominence in Brescia is undeniable, and the family's steel industry is one of the best in the region. Despite this, Pirlo's upbringing was not without its challenges.
When he was young, his family expected him to inherit the family business, but football became his passion and pursuit. He did not hesitate to leave home and completed his youth career with Freiro and Volutas Youth. In the 94-95 season, Pirlo, who was only 16 years old, got his first taste of professional football, and made his first appearance in Serie A for his hometown club Brescia, becoming the youngest player to make a Serie A appearance at that time.
However, that season did not go well for Brescia, who were relegated to the second division and Pirlo did not play a competitive game for the team for a long time. It wasn't until the 96-97 season that the 18-year-old Pirlo returned to play for Brescia in Serie B. That season, he not only gained experience and scored the first goal of his career, but more importantly, he was determined to continue to fight on the road of football.
In the 96-97 season, Pirlo made 18 appearances as an important substitute for Brescia, scoring two goals to help the team return to Serie A. With solid footwork and excellent attacking awareness, he excelled in the midfield and attacking midfield positions. Inter took a fancy to the talented young man and extended him an invitation. However, it was difficult for a young man under the age of 20 to get a chance to play at that strong Inter side, so Andrea Pirlo was sent out on loan. His former club Brescia has once again left his mark, and the experience has also given Pirlo the opportunity to compete on the pitch with his childhood idol Baggio.
In the world of football in Brescia, there is a discerning veteran coach Mazzoni. He discovered Baggio and Pirlo, two old and young attacking midfield talents, with a unique eye. His decision not only changed Pirlo's life, but also set off a revolution in Italian football. He used the young Andrea Pirlo as the heart of the playmaker, placing him in a midfield position, and together with the number nine and a half Baggio, he formed the core of Brescia's duo.
That season, Brescia had a two-core engine, working their way up from the relegation zone, finishing seventh in Serie A and qualifying for the 2001 International Toto Cup. This is undoubtedly the best affirmation of Mazzoni's decision.
What is even more amazing is that on April 1, 2001, the young Andrea Pirlo, wearing a Brescia shirt, assisted Baggio to equalize the mighty Juventus at the Alpi Stadium. At that moment, it was as if time had stood still, and people witnessed the tacit understanding and inheritance between the two geniuses. Perhaps even Pirlo himself did not realize that a new page had been turned in the feud between him and Baggio.
In the summer of 2000, Pirlo embarked on the journey of the Azzurri and put on the shirt to officially start a new chapter in his football career. Although it was only the Under-21 European Championships, it was the stage for Pirlo to make his debut. He shone brightly in the number 10 shirt and showed his talent early on the field. In that tournament, he won the Player of the Year and Top Scorer honours with three stunning goals, and led Italy to victory. Not only that, but he also showed his leadership at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with the Italian Under-21 team.
At that moment, Pirlo was undoubtedly Italy's brightest rising star, and his light could not be overshadowed. However, his chances of playing were few and far between, which made Pirlo determined to leave. But his departure is not the end, but a new beginning. With his own strength and talent, he continues to write his own legendary chapter.
In this way, Pirlo turned around on June 30, 2001 and became a member of AC Milan. The same Milan, the same stadium, but the color of the jersey changed from blue and black to red and black. Andrea Pirlo's arrival has given Milan and Carlo Ancelotti in particular a clearer tactical core. He acts as a playmaker for the whole team, as a metronome in the back of the team, redefining the midfield between attacking midfielders and defenders.
His ball protection, his passing may seem random, but in fact every step is the best result he chooses after countless deductions and calculations in his heart. This requires him to observe and learn every day, to observe the movement of his teammates and opponents, and to learn better passing styles and passing paths. He perfectly took over the banner of Albertini, the last central organiser of Milan.
In the 03-04 season, Pirlo helped Milan win the Serie A title again as the core of the midfield, and he has transformed from a rising star in Italian football to a star in Italian football, and continues to write his legend on the green field.
In those triumphant years, Pirlo was not without unforgettable regrets. On that legendary Istanbul night, Andrea Pirlo's free-kick was like a heavenly object, setting up veteran captain Maldini to open the scoring. Then, like a magician, he instigated a long pass to help connect Kaka and Crespo. It can be said that in the first half of the game, Milan's attacking momentum was closely related to Pirlo's magical play.
However, the plot in the second half of the night took a sharp turn. Not only did Liverpool chase three goals in a row, but what made Pirlo even more heartbroken was that he failed to score the ball in the penalty shootout. He once revealed in his autobiography, "Because of that penalty, I even thought about retiring. It can be seen that that defeat hit him hard. At that time, Pirlo was in the prime of his 26-year-old **, which should have been the peak of his career. But fate seems to have played a joke on him, Milan needs him, Italy needs him even more.
In the 2006 World Cup, Pirlonie was reborn as the heart of the Italian team's midfield. He represented his country, played all the games, and was named Man of the Match three times. In the final against France, against midfield maestro Zinedine Zidane, Pirlo used his unique wit to help Materazzi equalise. He also defeated his own demons in the penalty shootout and helped Italy successfully win the World Cup, making up for the regret 24 years ago.
Superstars will eventually age, and Pirlo has been in his thirties since the 2008-2009 season, with injuries and declining appearances. In the Milan of Allegri's time, Pirlo was no longer in the central position, and the new Milan with Ibrahimovic as the core no longer seemed to need an old minister like Pirlo. Pirlo's playmaking role has waned from the back, and although he can still score from a brilliant set-piece or provide a brilliant assist for Ibrahimovic, Milan's new era of Milan no longer needs Pirlo's old ticket.
In the 2010-2011 season, Pirlo decided early on that this would be his last season with Milan. The feud with Allegri continued throughout the season, and even if Milan ended in the Serie A title that season, it was difficult to see Pirlo's smile again. This is actually his second Serie A title, but he has not celebrated on many occasions and is gradually fading away from being a veteran of AC Milan for ten years. The 21st, who has been used to it for so many years, is as quiet as when he came.
Perhaps many Milan fans still can't accept Pirlo's transformation from the darling of the Rossoneri to an honorary member of the Bianconeri. But more fans choose to understand, the veteran's persistence and choice, he dedicated the most glorious years to Milan, and now he just wants to continue to run on the green field, and Milan has not been able to give him the respect he deserves for various reasons. Andrea Pirlo has admitted that he had dreamed of ending his career under the Rossoneri shirt, but in the end he chose to turn around and play alongside the Bianconeri.
At Juventus, Pirlo formed an iron triangle of midfield with Marchisio and Vidal, which once again shone in the entire Italian football scene. They brought Juventus out of the shadow of the goalkeeper incident, and Pirlo was even more indispensable. He is not only an outstanding player, but also a loyal and responsible fighter, and his every decision is full of wisdom and courage, leaving an indelible mark on the world of football.
In his first three seasons at Juventus, Pirlo's attendance was impressive, with more than 40 appearances in a single season. Compared to his 25 appearances in his final season at AC Milan, Andrea Pirlo has earned a lot of respect in Italian football with his veteran tenacity and perseverance. This is not only reflected in Juventus, but also in the Italian national team, where Andrea Pirlo continues to show masterful performances.
At Euro 2012, Andrea Pirlo became vice-captain after Gianluigi Buffon. In his first group game against Spain, he provided an assistFacing Croatia in the second round, Andrea Pirlo scored directly with a free kick;In the third round of life and death, he assisted Cassano to enter the knockout round. In the knockout round against England, Andrea Pirlo scored a brilliant spoon penalty again. Although he was seen as a master of passing and a technical stream at the back, leaving the dirty work to Gattuso, he ran 11 against England58 km, strength breaks the stereotype. As a playmaker, Pirlo has never lacked confrontation and movement.
In the semi-finals against old rivals Germany, every shot he made was like a midfield maestro personally coaching. Had it not been for Spain in their prime, Pirlo would have been in danger of being crowned a god again in that tournament. Regret and tears, during that period, became the main theme of Pirlo's career in the Blue Shirts.
Despite failing to win the Champions League, Pirlo still won four Serie A trophies during his time at Juventus. In his final season, he teamed up with Allegri, who had been at odds, to build a strong midfield organisation. It can be said that Pirlo is Allegri's mentor and friend, and his defoliating ball skills are a beautiful sight to behold on the field.
On April 26, 2015, Andrea Pirlo scored from a brilliant free-kick in the "Turin Derby", bringing his direct free-kick goal in Serie A to 28 goals, equalling Mihajlovic as the player with the most free-kick goals in Serie A history. Although Pirlo of the Juventus era was only four seasons, he perfectly passed on the essence of the midfield maestro.
Later, Pirlo went to the major leagues to start his retirement journey. Despite this, he still has his heart set on the Italian national team. In Euro 2016, although Pirlo was not selected for the final 23-man squad, he was still a guarantee of victory on the road to the European qualifiers. However, in the national team, Pirlo did not say goodbye to the tournament. In the European qualifiers, his international cap record was fixed at 116 games, and he is still ranked seventh in Italian history.
After retiring from football, Pirlo picked up the whip and began to pursue the perfect football in his heart. Despite his failure at Juventus, Pirlo still has a lot to learn as a coach. But that doesn't stop him from being one of the most unique and epoch-making beings in Italian football. We deeply miss his poetic long passes, inscrutable free kicks, and low-key but never lacking fighting spirit.