Pirlo was born inFlero in the province ofBrescia.[16] He began his career with the Flero youth team,[17] later moving to Voluntas,[18] and subsequently joined the youth sector of local clubBrescia in 1992, where he initially played predominantly as a supporting forward.[19] In1995, at the age of 16, Pirlo made hisSerie A debut for Brescia againstReggiana, on 21 May, becoming Brescia's youngest player to make an appearance in Serie A. He was promoted by his coachMircea Lucescu.[20][21][22] The following season, he did not appear with the senior team, although he was able to capture theTorneo di Viareggio with the youth team.[20] After breaking into the Brescia first team during the1996–97 Serie B season, he helped the club to gain Serie A promotion the following season by winning theSerie B title.[23] He scored his first goal in Serie A during the1997–98 season, in a 4–0 home win overVicenza on 19 October 1997.[24]
Due to his performances with Brescia, Pirlo was spotted byInter Milan and signed in the summer of 1998, reuniting with former Brescia coach Lucescu in his first season when the Romanian replacedLuigi Simoni in December. Pirlo was unable to break into the first squad permanently, however, and Inter finished eighth in the1998–99 Serie A campaign.[25] Inter loaned Pirlo to Reggina for the1999–2000 season, alongside fellow youngsterMohamed Kallon.[26] After an impressive season,[26] he returned to Inter but was once again unable to break into the first team, making just four league appearances.[25] He spent the second half of the2000–01 season on loan at his former club, Brescia, where he played alongside his childhood idol, offensive playmakerRoberto Baggio.[27][28][29] As Baggio occupied theattacking midfield role for Brescia, managerCarlo Mazzone made a ground-breaking decision, becoming the first coach to deploy Pirlo as adeep-lying playmaker, rather than as an offensive midfielder, a deeper creative role in which he particularly excelled, due to his long passing ability.[27][30] Despite initially struggling against relegation that season,[31] Brescia would eventually manage a comfortable seventh-place finish in Serie A, also reaching theCoppa Italia quarter-finals, qualifying for the2001 Intertoto Cup.[32] A notable moment in Pirlo's Brescia career was his long pass which assisted Baggio's late equaliser againstJuventus at theStadio delle Alpi, on 1 April 2001.[33][34]
After three seasons on the Inter books, Pirlo was sold to rivalsAC Milan for 33 billionItalian lire (€17,043,078)[35] on 30 June 2001, the last day of the 2000–01 financial year.[36] The transfer fee was partially funded by the movement ofDražen Brnčić in the opposite direction for an undisclosed fee. In the same window Inter swappedCristian Brocchi (25 billion lire;[37] €12.9 million) forGuly (undisclosed fee; €8.537 million profit)[38] andMatteo Bogani forPaolo Ginestra. The deals were later reported by the Italian press to have been undertaken to create "false profit" by inflating the players' values in the transfer fees in the swap deal. The exchange involving Ginestra and Bogani created an approximate €3.5 million "profit" for both clubs, but this actually manifested itself in terms of useless registration rights.[39]
It was at Milan, in particular under managerCarlo Ancelotti, where Pirlo made big strides in developing into a world class player, and one of the bestdeep-lying playmakers and set-piece specialists in the world, as he went on to achieve notable domestic and international success during his time with the club. Pirlo later recalled the period he has spent in Milan with Ancelotti: "He changed my career, putting me in front of the defence. We shared some unforgettable moments. We had a magnificent past together."[40] After Mazzone's pioneering decision to move Pirlo into a deep-seated playmaking role with Brescia during the previous season,[41] Milan managersFatih Terim and, in particular, Carlo Ancelotti further developed this role for him at Milan.[30] In Ancelotti's4–3–1–2 and4–3–2–1 formations, Pirlo was deployed as a deep-lying playmaker in front of the defence,[42] which allowed him to play alongside other talented attacking midfielders, such asRivaldo,Rui Costa and eventuallyKaká, replacing the gap left by Milan legendDemetrio Albertini in the deep midfield playmaking role. He would become an integral part of the Rossoneri's midfield, forming a formidable partnership withGennaro Gattuso, as well as withClarence Seedorf andMassimo Ambrosini, who also supported his playmaking role defensively. Pirlo was given the nicknamethemetronome during his time at the club, for the way in which he set the team's rhythm.[7][43][44][45]
Pirlo made his Milan debut on 20 September 2001, in a 2–0 win overBATE Borisov in theUEFA Cup, after coming on forMassimo Donati.[46] During hisfirst season with the club, he helped the team to a fourth-place finishUEFA Champions League qualification spot, also reaching the semi-final of theUEFA Cup, the club's best ever result in the competition. On 30 March 2002, he scored his first goal with Milan in a 3–1 home win overParma, from afree kick.[47]
Pirlo led Serie A in the2002–03 season in four categories – passes played (2589), ball possession (123 hours played and 39 minutes), successful balls (661), and successful passes (2093); he averaged almost 90 passes per game throughout the season. During this season, his second with the club, he also managed a career-best of 9 goals in Serie A, as Milan finished the league in third place, also winning theCoppa Italia overRoma,[48] and theUEFA Champions League, beating out Italian rivals and 2003 Serie A champions Juventus in thefinal 3–2 on penalties, following a 0–0 draw after extra-time.[49][50] The following season saw Pirlo win the2003 UEFA Super Cup with Milan overPorto,[51] although the Rossoneri lost to Juventus on penalties in the2003 Supercoppa Italiana following a 1–1 draw after extra time; during the match, Pirlo scored on a penalty in extra time, and once again in the shoot-out.[52] Milan would also miss out on the2003 Intercontinental Cup, losing out on penalties once again, toBoca Juniors, following a 1–1 draw after extra-time; on this occasion, Pirlo missed his penalty in the shoot-out, after previously setting up Milan's opening goal of the match.[53][54][55] Pirlo would celebrate winning his first Serie A title with Milan during the2003–04 season however,[56] following up the scudetto with the2004 Supercoppa Italiana overLazio.[57]
Milan finished as runners-up in Serie A to Juventus in the2004–05 season. In the2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Pirlo finished as one of the second-highest assist providers with four assists,[58] as he helped Milan to reach the final.[59] In the2005 UEFA Champions League final againstLiverpool, on 25 May, Pirlo assistedPaolo Maldini's opening goal, after 50 seconds, from a free kick, and combined with Kaká before the Brazilian unleashedHernán Crespo with a long pass for Milan's third goal before halftime. In the second half, however, Liverpool made a three-goal comeback, sending the match into extra time. After a 3–3 deadlock, the match went to penalties, and Milan were defeated by the English team in the shoot-out. Despite Pirlo's performance throughout the competition and in the final, Pirlo had missed his penalty kick during the shoot-out in the final when it was saved byJerzy Dudek.[60][61] Pirlo would later state in his autobiography that the 2005 UEFA Champions League final defeat on penalties was the worst moment of his career, and that he had considered retiring prematurely following the match.[62]
The following season, Milan once again finished in second place behind Juventus inSerie A (before their 30-point deduction due to their involvement in the2006 Calciopoli scandal), also reaching the semi-finals of theUEFA Champions League, only to be defeated by eventual champions,Barcelona,[63] and the quarter-finals of theCoppa Italia. In 2006, Pirlo placed 9th in theBallon d'Or, which was won by his Italy teammateFabio Cannavaro,[64] and was elected to the 2006FIFPro World XI.[15]
Andrea has demonstrated all his great talent and worth. When we played together, everything started with him. He always had the great gift of being able to visualise and anticipate plays before everyone else. His vision, what he can do with the ball, and what he's able to create, make him a true superstar. Andrea has something which you don't see very often.
Pirlo led Milan in minutes played for the2006–07 season with 2,782 across 52 appearances, as he went on to win his secondUEFA Champions League title with Milan, also helping his team to a fourth-place finish inSerie A, and anotherCoppa Italia semi-final. In the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final againstManchester United, Pirlo set up Seedorf's goal, as Milan progressed on to the final.[65] In the2007 UEFA Champions League final in Athens, Pirlo assistedInzaghi's first goal from a free kick,[66] helping Milan to defeat Liverpool 2–1, avenging their 2005 final defeat in Istanbul.[67][68] During the2007–08 season, Pirlo won his secondUEFA Super Cup with Milan, assisting Milan's second goal in the final,[69] and winning theMan of the Match award;[70] he also contributed to the club's first everFIFA Club World Cup title in2007, once again setting-up Milan's second goal in thefinal.[71] In October 2007, he was nominated for the2007 Ballon d'Or, the2007 FIFA World Player of the Year, and the 2007International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS)World's Best Playmaker Awards, but they were all won by Milan teammate Kaká, as Pirlo placed 5th in the Ballon d'or, 7th in the FIFA World Player of the Year, and 2nd in the World's Best Playmaker Awards.[72][73][74] Despite a strong start, Milan suffered a dip in form during the second half of the season, finishing the league in fifth place, failing to qualify for theUEFA Champions League;[75] Milan also suffered eliminations in the round of 16 of theUEFA Champions League[76] and theCoppa Italia that season.[77] The following season, Milan managed a second-place finish inSerie A, alongside Juventus, and behind local rivals Inter,[78] while they were eliminated in the round of 32 of theUEFA Cup,[76] and the round of 16 of theCoppa Italia.[79]
After Kaká and Ancelotti left Milan in the summer of 2009,[78]Chelsea tested Milan's resolve by bidding $12 million andClaudio Pizarro for Pirlo. The club rejected the offer and Pirlo was said to be contemplating a transfer request.[80] On 5 August, club ownerSilvio Berlusconi decided not to sell Pirlo, who said he was overjoyed and wanted to end his career at Milan.[81] On 21 October 2009, Pirlo scored a notable 30-metre goal in Milan's 3–2 win overReal Madrid in theUEFA Champions League; Milan were eventually eliminated in the round of 16.[82] Milan finished the season with a 3rd place inSerie A, and a quarter-final finish in theCoppa Italia under new managerLeonardo.[83]
The following season saw Milan dominate the league. Milan played host toGenoa on 25 September 2010, with Pirlo providing a lifted ball over the top of the defence to set strikerZlatan Ibrahimović free to score the solitary goal of the game.[84] On 2 October, Pirlo scored a 40-yard goal against Parma to give Milan their first away win of the2010–11 season.[85] On 14 May 2011, Pirlo appeared in his last match for Milan, coming on as a half-time substitute for Ambrosini as the club celebrated theirSerie A title with a 4–1 victory over Cagliari.[86] Four days later, Pirlo confirmed that he would be leaving Milan at the end of the 2010–11 season, after a mutual decision not to renew his contract.[87] In his last season in Milan, Pirlo appeared in the league just 17 times under managerMassimiliano Allegri, registering one goal and three assists. He won his second Serie A title with Milan that season, and also reached the round of 16 in theUEFA Champions League as well as the semi-final stage in theCoppa Italia.[88]
In total with Milan, Pirlo made 401 appearances, scoring 41 goals.[89] With the club, he won two Serie A titles in 2004 and 2011, as well as twoUEFA Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007, also reaching the final in 2005; he also won aCoppa Italia in 2003, aSupercoppa Italiana in 2004, and twoUEFA Super Cups in 2003 and 2007, as well as playing a key role in Milan's first ever FIFA Club World Cup title in 2007. During this period, Milan also finished as runners up in Serie A in the 2004–05 and the 2005–06 seasons, as well as finishing second on penalties in the 2003 Supercoppa Italiana, and in the 2003 Intercontinental Cup.[7]
When Andrea told me that he was joining us, the first thing I thought was: "God exists". A player of his level and ability, not to mention that he was free, I think it was the signing of the century!
Pirlo with Juventus in 2011. He went on to appear in 41 matches in his first season with theBianconeri.
Following Pirlo's departure from Milan in 2011, Juventus signed him on a free transfer on a contract until 2014.[91] His debut with Juventus was in a friendly match againstSporting CP, which they lost 2–1. His first competitive match with Juventus was the2011–12 Serie A opening match against Parma at home, in which he tallied two assists, forStephan Lichtsteiner andClaudio Marchisio – the former of which was the first ever goal in the Juventus Stadium –, and completed 110 passes in a 4–1 victory.[92][93][94][95]Antonio Conte played him alongside younger midfielders Marchisio and new signingArturo Vidal in a three-man midfield, which allowed Pirlo to function creatively as a deep-lying playmaker, while Marchisio and Vidal supported him defensively.[92][96] Pirlo's first goal for Juventus was a free kick againstCatania on 18 February 2012 securing a 3–1 victory for Juventus and put the club back at the top of the Serie A table, above his former club Milan.[97] On 18 March, Pirlo scored in a 5–0 demolition ofFiorentina and after the game dedicated the win toFabrice Muamba, who suffered a cardiac arrest playing forBolton Wanderers during a match againstTottenham Hotspur the same day.[98]
Pirlo finished the season by winning the 2011–12 Serie A title, after helping Juventus to secure a 2–0 victory overCagliari.[99] He provided the most assists in the Serie A that season, with 13,[100] and he also found the back of the net three times in the league.[92] Pirlo created over 100 chances and completed 2643 passes that season, with an 87% pass completion rate, completing 500 more passes than any other player in Serie A; the only player in the world to have completed more passes than him that season wasXavi.[92][101] Due to his performances throughout the season, and his key role in leading Juventus to their first Serie A title in nine years, he was named to theSerie A Team of the Year, along with his Juventus midfielder partner Vidal.[102] Pirlo and Juventus also finished runners up toNapoli in theCoppa Italia final that season.[103] Pirlo's fine form in the 2011–12 season, in which he led Juventus to the league title, theSupercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia final, as well as leadingItaly to the final ofEuro 2012, saw him nominated for the 2012UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, in which he finished 4th.[12] He was also elected to be part of the2012 ESM Team of the Year and the2012 UEFA Team of the Year.[104][105]
Pirlo played in the 2012 Supercoppa Italiana in Beijing on 11 August 2012 against Napoli, helping Juventus to a 4–2 win in extra time.[106] He curled in a free kick to seal a 2–0 defeat of Parma on the opening day of the new Serie A season. The goal caused much controversy, as the Parma players protested that it had not gone over the line, and replays proved inconclusive.[107] In the following league match againstUdinese on 2 September, Pirlo helped to win a penalty and assistedSebastian Giovinco's second goal of the match, as Juventus went on to defeat the home team 4–1.[108] On 29 September, Pirlo opened the scoring when he dispatched a trade mark free kick to send Juventus on their way to a 4–1 defeat of Roma.[109] Pirlo was nominated for the2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, along with Juventus and Italy teammateGianluigi Buffon, following their performances throughout the calendar year.[110] Pirlo provided three assists for Juventus during the group stage, helping them to top theirgroup undefeated and advance to the knockout stages for first time since the 2008–09 tournament.[111] Pirlo was also elected the 2012Serie A Footballer of the Year, as well as the best midfielder of the season, also winning the 2012Guerin d'Oro. He was named as part of the 2012 Serie A team of the Year for his performances.[14] Pirlo also won the Pallone Azzurro, given to the best player of the year in the Italy national team,[112] as well as placing fourth in the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker of the Year Award,[113] and seventh in the FIFA Ballon d'Or.[114] Pirlo and Juventus retained their Serie A title that season. Juventus were, however, eliminated byBayern Munich in the quarter finals of theUEFA Champions League, and in the semi-finals of theCoppa Italia by Lazio; both of these teams were the winners of these respective competitions.[115][116]
Pirlo featured in Juventus's 4–0 win against Lazio in the2013 Supercoppa Italiana on 18 August 2013 at theStadio Olimpico in Rome. Pirlo helped to createPaul Pogba's opening goal in the twenty-third minute of play.[117] Pirlo was the only Italian player to be nominated for the2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or, and was also nominated for the 2013 FIFPro World XI.[118] On 1 December, Pirlo sustained a knee ligament injury which would keep him off the field for over a month.[119] On 12 January 2014, Pirlo signed a new contract with Juventus, which will keep him at the club until 2016.[120] On 27 January, Pirlo was named Serie A Footballer of the Year for a second consecutive time, and was once again included in the Serie A Team of the Year.[121] Juventus won their30th league title that season with a record 102 points and 33 victories; this was also their third consecutive title since Pirlo's arrival. Juventus also reached the quarter-finals of theCoppa Italia, losing out to Roma. The Turin club suffered a group stage elimination in theUEFA Champions League but managed a semi-final finish in theUEFA Europa League, losing out toBenfica, with Pirlo scoring a match-winning goal from a free kick in the round of 16 against Fiorentina.[122] Pirlo was chosen to be part of the 2013–14 Europa League Team of the Season, for his performances in the competition.[123]
2014–2015: UEFA Champions League final and departure
On 11 June 2014, Pirlo signed a new contract keeping him at Juventus until 2016.[124] Pirlo made his 100th league appearance for Juventus in a 3–2 home win over Roma on 5 October 2014.[125] On 1 November, Pirlo scored Juventus's opening goal from a free kick in a 2–0 win overEmpoli, on their 117th anniversary; this was his 26th goal from a free kick in Serie A, putting him two goals behind the all-time record holder,Siniša Mihajlović.[126] On 4 November, Pirlo scored once again from a trademark, curling direct free kick in a 3–2 home win overOlympiacos in a group-stageUEFA Champions League fixture.[127] This was Pirlo's 100th appearance in the UEFA Champions League, marking the occasion with his first UEFA Champions League goal with Juventus.[citation needed] On 15 December 2014, Pirlo was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year for the third time in his career, and for the third consecutive year since his arrival at Juventus; he was also named part of the 2014 Serie A Team of the Year.[128] In Juventus's 2–1 home victory overBorussia Dortmund in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, on 24 February 2015, Pirlo left the pitch during the first half of the match, after injuring his right calf, ruling him out for three weeks.[129] Pirlo was called up on 11 April 2015 against Parma following his injury.[130] He returned to the starting line-up on 14 April 2015, helpingÁlvaro Morata to win a penalty which was later converted by Vidal in a 1–0 victory overMonaco at theJuventus Stadium, in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals; he was replaced byAndrea Barzagli during the second half.[131] On 26 April, Pirlo scored from a free kick in a 2–1 away defeat to local rivalsTorino in the "Derby di Torino"; this was his 28th goal in Serie A from a free kick, which put him level with Mihajlović as the player with the most goals from free kicks inSerie A history.[132] On 20 May, Pirlo played a part in both of Juventus's goals as the Turin club defeated Lazio 2–1 at the Stadio Olimpico in the2015 Coppa Italia final.[133] On 6 June 2015, Pirlo played the entirety of the2015 UEFA Champions League final as Juventus were defeated 3–1 by Barcelona at Berlin'sOlympiastadion;[134] this was the final game of his Juventus career. Pirlo was named to the2014–15 UEFA Champions League Squad of the season for his performances.[135]
In total, he made 164 appearances for Juventus in all competitions, scoring 19 goals (15 of which were scored from free kicks), also providing 39 assists; 31 of his goals came in Serie A, from 119 appearances. During his four seasons inTurin, he won four Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, and two Supercoppe Italiane, also reaching the fourth UEFA Champions League final of his career during his final season with the club. Over 20 seasons in Italy, he made 493 appearances inSerie A.[136] With 101 assists in the Italian top flight, he is also thefifth–highest assist provider in Serie A history, behindFrancesco Totti, Roberto Baggio,Alessandro Del Piero, and Gianni Rivera.[137]
On 6 July 2015, it was announced that Pirlo had completed a move toMajor League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchiseNew York City FC as their thirdDesignated Player.[136][138][139] In doing so, he became the highest paid Italian player in all leagues with an $8 million salary,[citation needed] untilGraziano Pellè overtook him after moving to Chinese clubShandong Luneng the following year.[140] Pirlo made his debut with the club on 26 July 2015 atYankee Stadium in New York againstOrlando City, coming on as a substitute in the 56th minute; he was involved in his team's third and fourth goals and was booked in the 88th minute as New York won the match 5–3.[141] He made his first start for New York on 1 August, in a 3–2 home defeat to theMontreal Impact.[142] On 12 August, it was announced that Pirlo had placed seventh in the2015 UEFA Best Player in Europe.[13] On 13 August he set up a goal forDavid Villa in a 3–1 home win overD.C. United.[143] In October 2015, Pirlo was named to the 59-player shortlist for the2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or.[144] He finished the2015 MLS season with 5 assists in 13 appearances, and ended up third in the MLS in minutes per pass, although he failed to score a goal.[145] Despite the presence of Pirlo and two other UEFA Champions League winners, David Villa andFrank Lampard, New York City failed to qualify for the2015 MLS Cup Playoffs at the conclusion of their debut season, which drew criticism from the press;[146] Pirlo in particular drew criticism from the media for his low defensive work-rate.[147] In November, Pirlo became the first MLS player in history to be nominated for the FIFPro World XI.[148]
Pirlo made his first assist of the2016 MLS season on 30 April, as he set up a goal for David Villa from a corner in a 3–2 home win over theVancouver Whitecaps.[149] On 18 June, he scored his first MLS goal from a free kick in the 50th minute of a 3–2 home victory overPhiladelphia.[150] In July 2016, Pirlo was included in the roster for the2016 MLS All-Star Game.[151] Pirlo finished his second MLS season with the club with one goal and a team seasonal best of eleven assists in 32 appearances,[145] as New York City finished in second place in the Eastern Conference, and qualified for theMLS Cup Playoffs for the first time ever, clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference semi-final.[152] He was ruled out of the first leg, however, after sustaining a last-minute calf injury, and New York lost the match 2–0 away toToronto.[153] He appeared in the second leg on 6 November, as New York were eliminated from the Playoffs 7–0 on aggregate, following a 5–0 home defeat to Toronto.[154]
After struggling with persisting physical problems for most of the2017 MLS season, on 8 October 2017, Pirlo announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of the season;[155] in total, he was limited to only 15 appearances and two assists during the 2017 MLS regular season.[145] He made his final professional appearance on 5 November, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute in a 2–0 home win overColumbus Crew, in the second leg of the2017 MLS Cup Eastern Conference Semi-finals; New York were eliminated from the Playoffs following a 4–3 aggregate loss.[156][157] In total, Pirlo made 62 appearances for New York – 60 of which came in the MLS regular season, with the other two coming in the MLS Cup Playoffs – over the course of his three seasons with the club, scoring one goal and providing 18 assists, all of which came during the MLS regular season.[145] Pirlo officially communicated his retirement from professional football the following day, on Twitter.[158] A testimonial match –La Notte del Maestro – was played at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on 21 May 2018, in honour of Pirlo's retirement from professional football.[159]
UnderGiovanni Trapattoni Pirlo debuted for the Italian senior squad at the age of 23 in a 2–0 away victory againstAzerbaijan in aEuro 2004 qualifying match;[165][166] he also appeared in a friendly match in Pescara againstTurkey on 20 November, later that year, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[167] Pirlo scored his first goal for Italy from a free kick in a 4–0 away win in a friendly match againstTunisia.[168] His first major tournament with the Italian senior team wasUEFA Euro 2004 under Trapattoni, where he made two appearances in Italy's last two group matches: the first in a 1–1 draw againstSweden, and the second in a 2–1 win overBulgaria. The Italian team was eliminated in the first round, on direct encounters, following a three-way five-point tie with Sweden andDenmark.[105]
Under Trapattoni's replacement,Marcello Lippi, Pirlo became a key member of Italy's starting line-up during their2006 World Cup Qualifying campaign, and he was eventually called up as a starting member of the Italian squad for the2006 FIFA World Cup.[169] On 26 March 2005, he assured Italy's participation in the tournament after scoring from two free kicks in a 2–0 win againstScotland in a World Cup Qualifier.[170][171]
Pirlo was named to Italy's 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup,[172] and appeared in all of Italy's matches at the tournament, playing 668 minutes in total.[173] In Italy's first match of the tournament on 12 June, Pirlo scored the opening goal againstGhana, and subsequently helped set up a goal forVincenzo Iaquinta to seal a 2–0 victory, as the midfielder was namedMan of the Match.[174] In the second match on 17 June, he set up a diving header for Gilardino from a set piece which proved to be vital in the 1–1 draw against theUnited States.[175]
In the semi-final againstGermany on 4 July, he assistedFabio Grosso's opening goal in the dying minutes of extra-time and was again namedMan of the Match, as Italy triumphed 2–0 over the hosts.[176] In thefinal againstFrance on 9 July, his corner kick producedMarco Materazzi's equalising header ten minutes after France had opened the scoring with aZinedine Zidane penalty. Following a 1–1 deadlock after extra-time, the match went to apenalty shoot-out, in which he scored the first spot kick, helping Italy to win the title.[177][178] Pirlo formed a formidable midfield partnership with Milan teammate Gattuso, and he completed 475 passes out of 580 attempted throughout the tournament, while also winning 18 challenges.[173][179] After the final, he was namedMan of the Match for a third time, winning moreMan of the Match Awards than any other player in the tournament.[164] Pirlo was voted the third-best player of the tournament, winning theBronze Ball.[164] He was named as part of the 2006 FIFPro XI and as part of the2006 World Cup Team of the Tournament for his performances, placing ninth in both the 2006 Ballon d'Or and the2006 FIFA World Player of the Year Awards.[15]
"I don't feel pressure ... I don't give a toss about it. I spent the afternoon of Sunday, 9 July 2006 in Berlin sleeping and playing thePlayStation. In the evening, I went out and won the World Cup."
Pirlo appeared in all three of Italy's group matches atUEFA Euro 2008. He was namedMan of the Match in Italy's second group match, a 1–1 draw againstRomania, on 13 June.[181] On 17 June 2008, Pirlo netted a penalty as Italy defeated France 2–0 in the final group match, to send their rivals and World Cup runners-up crashing out of the European Championships in the first round.[182] Italy lost on penalty kicks to eventual winnersSpain in the quarterfinals,[183] as Pirlo and Milan teammate Gattuso were suspended for the match.[184][185]
On 15 June 2009, Pirlo assistedGiuseppe Rossi's second goal in a 3–1 win in Italy's opening match of theConfederations Cup against the United States.[186] Italy subsequently lost the following two group matches againstEgypt andBrazil, and were eliminated from the competition in the first round.[187]
Pirlo was not able to play the first two games in the2010 World Cup for Italy due to recent injuries. He came off the bench for Italy late in the match on 24 June againstSlovakia. Even with his help in orchestrating a renewed Italian offence, Pirlo could not prevent Italy from being knocked out of the first round.[188]
Coach Prandelli named Pirlo Vice-Captain of the Italian squad, behind captain, Gianluigi Buffon. Pirlo appeared in nine matches as Italyqualified undefeated for theEuropean Championships in Poland and Ukraine,[189] providing several assists, and netting one goal in Italy's 5–0 victory over theFaroe Islands on 7 September 2010.[190]
Pirlo playing for Italy againstEngland in quarter final ofEuro 2012
Because of his excellent performances in leading Juventus to win the Serie A title, Italy coachCesare Prandelli included the playmaker in his 32-man provisional squad for Euro 2012, and subsequently in Italy's final 23-man squad for the tournament.[191][192] Pirlo provided the cutting ball from whichAntonio Di Natale scored the opening goal of Italy's 1–1 draw with World and European champions Spain in the opening round of group play on 10 June 2012.[193] Pirlo then opened the scoring himself from a direct free kick in Italy's second group match againstCroatia on 14 June, which also ended in a 1–1 draw; Pirlo was namedMan of the Match.[194][195] In the final group match againstRepublic of Ireland, Pirlo set upAntonio Cassano's goal from a corner kick to help Italy take a 1–0 lead.[196] Italy eventually won 2–0 and progressed to the knock-out stage of the tournament as runners-up in Group C.[197]
On 24 June, Pirlo produced aMan of the Match performance in the quarter-finals againstEngland, as Italy won 4–2 on penalties after the game had finished 0–0 in extra time.[198] Pirlo scored in the shoot-out with an audaciouschipped penalty down the centre of the goal, also known as aPanenka.[199] Following the match Pirlo spoke of his eloquent penalty, stating,"At the moment I saw the goalkeeper making strange movements, so I waited for him to move and hit it like that... It was easier for me to chip it at that stage. Maybe my effort put some pressure on England."[200][201] Pirlo completed more passes than the entire England midfield, as he managed 131 passes, the most of any player during the match, and the second most in a single match in the history of the European Championship, behind Xavi, with an 87% pass completion rate, as Italy finished the match with 63% ball possession.[202] He also ran 11.58 kilometres throughout the match, covering more distance than any England player.[199]
In the semi-final round, on 28 June, Pirlo once again put up aMan of the Match performance against Germany, starting the play which led toBalotelli's first goal of the match, as Italy won 2–1 to advance to thefinal of the tournament.[citation needed] Following Italy's success in the semi-finals, Italy were defeated 4–0 against Spain in the final.[105][203]
Pirlo won threeMan of the Match Awards at Euro 2012, the most awards won by a single player, along withAndrés Iniesta of tournament champions Spain.[105] Pirlo was nominated for thePlayer of the Tournament Award, which ultimately went to Iniesta, and he was also elected to be part of theTeam of the Tournament.[204]
Pirlo was selected for Italy's squad to play in Brazil at the2013 Confederations Cup.[205] He won his 100th cap on 16 June in Italy's opening game againstMexico, opening the scoring with a trademark free kick as Italy won 2–1, and Pirlo was votedMan of the Match.[citation needed]He was only the fifth Italian player to receive 100 caps afterDino Zoff, Paolo Maldini, Gianluigi Buffon, and Fabio Cannavaro.[206] In the second group stage match againstJapan on 19 June, Pirlo assistedDe Rossi's goal against from a corner, as the match ended 4–3 to Italy.[207] The win allowed Italy to progress to the semi-finals of the competition for the first time.
Pirlo did not play in the third group stage match against hosts Brazil, as he had come down with a minor injury at the end of the second match, although he would be available to play for the semi-finals.[208] Italy were defeated 4–2 in the final group stage match on 22 June, which meant that they finished second in group A, and would be playing the winners of group B, tournament favourites Spain, in a rematch of theEuropean Championship final of the previous year. Italy held Spain to 0–0 draw on 27 June, as the match eventually went to penalties. Pirlo netted his penalty, but Bonucci's miss allowed Spain to advance to the final, as Italy lost the shoot-out 7–6.[209] Pirlo was injured for the third place final, although Italy managed to defeatUruguay 3–2 on penalties on 30 June, after a 2–2 draw. Pirlo was named to theTeam of the Tournament,[210] and was nominated for the Golden Ball award, although he failed to place amongst the top three players of the tournament, as the awards went toNeymar, Iniesta, andPaulinho, respectively.[211]
Pirlo scored one goal during Italy'squalification campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which saw them top their group, undefeated.[212] Pirlo converted a penalty as Italy dispatchedArmenia by a score of 3–1 on 12 October 2012, and assisted several goals during the World Cup qualifying campaign.[213] On 5 June 2014, Pirlo was selected by Italy manager Prandelli as part of his 23-man squad for the2014 World Cup in Brazil.[214] On 12 June, Pirlo announced that he would retire from international football following the tournament.[215]
In the 2014 World Cup, Italy were placed in Group D, along withCosta Rica, England and Uruguay, in what was called the "Group of Death".[216] On 14 June, in Italy's opening match against England, Pirlo wore the captain's armband due to Buffon's last minute injury. The match ended with a 2–1 win to Italy. Pirlo heavily contributed to Italy's win, controlling the flow of the game, and setting up several goalscoring chances, as Italy dominated possession. During the match, Pirlo made 108 passes in total, only misplacing five, with a pass completion rate of 95.4%, completing the most passes of any other player in the previous opening matches of the 2014 World Cup. With a 93.2 pass percentage, Italy also managed to record the highest pass accuracy percentage of any team in a World Cup match since Denmark in the 1966 World Cup, completing 561 of their 602 passes.[citation needed] Pirlo also contributed to Italy's first goal of the match:Antonio Candreva's short corner was played toMarco Verratti, who then passed the ball out wide towards Pirlo, who drew his marker with him. Pirlo let the ball pass in between his legs to Marchisio, leaving him with space to score with a low drive from outside the area. Pirlo also managed to hit the crossbar from a swerving free kick in injury time.[217] Italy suffered 1–0 defeats in both of their remaining matches against Costa Rica and Uruguay, however and were eliminated in the group stage for the second consecutive World Cup, finishing in a disappointing third place in their group, behind Costa Rica and Uruguay. Pirlo's appearance against Uruguay was his 112th cap for Italy, which allowed him to equal Dino Zoff's number of appearances for the Italy national team, and made him the fourth most capped player for the Italy national team. The Italian squad and manager, Cesare Prandelli, were criticised for over-relying on Pirlo to create goalscoring chances. Although Pirlo was able to set up some goal scoring opportunities and did test the opposition goalkeepers with some dangerous free kicks in the final two group games, his performances were stifled by the defensive pressure of the opposition, and he was much less dominant than he had been in the opening match against England.[212] Although he had previously communicated his intention to retire after the World Cup, he stated, upon his return to Italy, that he would still be available to play for the national team.[218]
Despite previously announcing his international retirement following the 2014 World Cup, Pirlo reversed his decision, and under new Italy manager, and Pirlo's former Juventus manager Conte, Pirlo returned to the Italian squad.[219] On 10 October, Pirlo started in Italy's secondEuro 2016 qualifying match, which ended in a 2–1 home win over Azerbaijan, overtaking Zoff with his 113th appearance for Italy.[220] Pirlo assistedChiellini's first goal of the match from a corner kick.[221] In August 2015, Pirlo was called for Italy's Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Malta and Bulgaria in September; he appeared in Italy's 1–0 home victory overMalta on 3 September, becoming the first MLS player to represent Italy;[222][223] this was his final international appearance.[224] In total, Pirlo made four appearances under Conte, as Italy qualified forEuro 2016 on 10 October in a 3–1 win over Azerbaijan.[225] On 23 May 2016, Pirlo, along with fellow MLS compatriot Giovinco, was left off of Conte's 30-player shortlist for Italy's Euro 2016 squad. Regarding their omission, Conte commented in a press conference: "When you make a certain choice and go to play in certain leagues, you do so taking it into account that they could pay the consequences from a footballing viewpoint".[226] In response to Conte's comments, Pirlo stated toSky Italia: "I have spoken to Conte and there is no disappointment on my part, he knows what he has to do and what he should not do. We had discussions during the season and both parties made their own decisions. He is the coach and it's only right he makes his decisions and decides what is best for him. I hope Italy win although the favourites are other teams such as Germany, Spain and France."[227]
In total, Pirlo made 116 appearances for Italy, scoring 13 goals, making him the fifth-most capped player in his nation's history.[228]
Tactically, Pirlo was capable of playing in several midfield positions, but was usually deployed by his club and national teams as acentral midfielder, in the role of adeep-lying playmaker, due to his vision and passing accuracy. A highly technical and creative player, Pirlo is regarded by players, managers, and pundits as one of the greatest ever players in his position;[5][7] throughout his career, he was considered one of the greatest midfielders in the world and of his generation,[6][231] and as one of the greatest Italian players ever,[229] and is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time by several pundits, managers and players.[232][233] Pirlo started his career in a more advanced role, as anattacking midfielder, and also played as asupporting striker on occasion.[234] Although he was considered a talented young prospect, even drawing comparisons with former Italian footballerGianni Rivera,[235] Pirlo occasionally struggled in this role, due to his lack of pace, and competition from other talented and more dynamic players in his position.[7][25][236]
Because of this, he was later moved to a deep-lying playmaker role by his coaches Mazzone, Terim, and Ancelotti, where he was able to excel due to his unique capabilities.[7][25][237] This position best utilised Pirlo's attributes, and allowed him to operate creatively from a deeper position, in or even behind the main midfield line, in a seeminglydefensive midfield role, where he was allowed more time on the ball to create scoring opportunities with his trademarklong balls.[7][25][238][239] This position has occasionally been described as "the Pirlo role," in the media, due to Pirlo's association with the role and his success in executing and popularising it.[240] During his final season with Milan, Pirlo was also used on thewing under Allegri,[241] due to his ability to provide accuratecrosses.[242][243][244][245]
Although not gifted with pace, stamina, physicality or notable defensive skills, work-rate, or tackling abilities,[nb 1] Pirlo was known for his composure in possession, and drew praise for his touch, technique, balance, elegance, close control, anddribbling ability, as well as his flair and creativity in beating players withfeints during one-on-one situations, in order to retain the ball and create space for himself to play and receive passes.[nb 2] His reactions and ability to anticipate plays also enabled him to cover ground in midfield and intercept passes despite his lack of pace, tackling ability, or stamina.[256] As aplaymaker, he is highly regarded by pundits for his outstanding vision, awareness, and football intelligence, as well as his movement, positional sense, inventive play, anticipation, ability to read the game, and his wide range of distribution, which enabled him to play the ball first time and rarely relinquish possession, even when put under pressure; in addition to being capable of playing precise, short exchanges to teammates, he was also known for frequently attempting riskier and more difficult passes and is renowned in particular for his extremely accurate long-range passing, both on the ground or in the air, with either foot, despite being naturally right footed.[nb 3] He is considered to be one of the best passers in the history of the sport,[nb 4] and is also known for his accuratestriking ability from distance.[257][267] These characteristics allowed him to contribute to his team's offensive play with goals andassists.[251]
Pirlo was afree-kick[257][268] andpenalty-kick specialist.[257][269][270] Throughout his career, he was regarded as one of the best free-kick takers in the world,[257][271] and drew praise from pundits for his versatility, and ability to both score and create chances from dead-ball situations.[247][272][273][274] He was extremely effective atcurling shots accurately on target from close range,[268] a technique that he perfected by studying Baggio in training sessions during their time at Brescia together;[268] as a youngster,Zico,Michel Platini, andDiego Maradona were also some of his major influences when taking free kicks.[275][276] Pirlo was also capable of scoring from long-range free kicks with swerve and power, due to his unique technique, which was inspired byJuninho's "knuckle ball" free kicks; this technique was later dubbed themaledetta ("accursed") in the Italian media.[277][278] Pirlo has scored the highest number of free kicks inSerie A, alongside Siniša Mihajlović.[132][279]
Fellow players on the Italy national team nicknamed Pirlol'architetto ("the Architect"), because of the way that he built plays, and set up goal-scoring opportunities with long, lobbed through passes.[nb 5] In later seasons, Juventus fans also dubbed himil professore ("the professor"),[282]Maestro,[136] andMozart,[282][283] as a reference to theAustrian composer's prodigious ability. Pirlo was also frequently compared to fellow former Milan and Italy playmaker Albertini early in his Milan career,[284] due to their similar characteristics and style of play.[285] Pirlo was often thought to be Albertini's heir for Milan and the national team;[285] he inherited his nicknamethe metronome whilst playing at Milan, for the way in which he influenced games by controlling the tempo of his team's play through his direct, precise, and efficient passing game in midfield, as well as his ability to make himself available to teammates to receive and subsequently distribute the ball.[nb 6]
In August 2019, Pirlo enrolled in theUEFA Pro Licence courses atCoverciano.[288] On 30 July 2020, Pirlo was appointed head coach ofSerie C clubJuventus U23, the reserve side of his former club Juventus.[289] Nine days later, following the dismissal ofMaurizio Sarri, Pirlo was appointed head coach ofthe first team, signing a two-year contract.[290] Pirlo received his UEFA Pro Licence on 16 September 2020.[291] Pirlo received 107 out of 110 after his oral validation of his 30-page thesis, entitled "The football that I would like" (Italian:Il calcio che vorrei).[292] Pirlo cited the teams that "inspired [his] idea of football" as "theBarcelona ofJohan Cruyff and then ofPep Guardiola, theAjax ofLouis van Gaal, the Milan ofCarlo Ancelotti, and the Juventus ofAntonio Conte".[293]
In his first competitive match as a head coach, on 20 September 2020, Juventus won 3–0 at home in a league game againstSampdoria.[294] He made his Champions League debut as a manager on 20 October, leading Juventus to a 2–0 away win overDynamo Kyiv; as a result, he became only the third Juventus manager after Lippi and Capello to win his first away game in the competition.[295][296]
On 20 January 2021, Pirlo won his first trophy as manager with Juventus, beating Napoli 2–0 in the2020 Supercoppa Italiana.[297] On 9 March 2021, Juventus were eliminated from the2020–21 UEFA Champions League byPorto in the round of 16 on theaway goals rule, drawing 4–4 on aggregate.[298] On 2 May 2021, Juventus' run of nine consecutive titles was mathematically ended by Internazionale who were confirmed as champions.[299] On 19 May, Pirlo won the Coppa Italia with Juventus following a 2–1 victory overAtalanta in thefinal.[300] On 23 May, the final day of the league, Pirlo managed to secure a fourth-place finish for Juventus after a 4–1 away win over Bologna, one point above Napoli which drew 1–1 with Verona, granting Juventus qualification to the following season's Champions League.[301] Five days later, on 28 May, Juventus announced the departure of Pirlo from his managerial position at the club.[302][303][304]
On 12 June 2022, Pirlo was appointed as manager of Turkish clubFatih Karagümrük.[305] The club later announced Pirlo's release on 24 May 2023.[306]
On 27 June 2023, Pirlo was appointed manager ofSampdoria, who had just been relegated to Serie B that season.[307] After completing the season in seventh place, he was confirmed for the next season but was sacked on 29 August 2024 after a dismal start to the club's2024–25 Serie B, with only one point in the first three league games.[308]
Pirlo is the second of three children, with an older brother Ivan and a younger sister Silvia.[25] He was married to Deborah Roversi; the couple have two children, born in 2003 and 2006.[310] The couple separated in 2014 after he began anextramarital affair with his current partner Valentina Baldini.[311]
Pirlo's father founded a metal trading company in Brescia in 1982 called Elg Steel. Pirlo himself retains a stake in the family business.[312] With regard to his wealth from his family business and footballing career, Pirlo stated in an interview with ItalianVanity Fair magazine that he never talks about money.[313] Pirlo is known for being a wine connoisseur and he also runs his own vineyard in Italy, which produces around 15–20,000 bottles a year.[314]
In 2013, Pirlo wrote an autobiography, with Alessandro Alciato, titledPenso Quindi Gioco (I Think Therefore I Play).[315][316] On 1 September 2014, Pirlo, along with many current and former footballing stars, took part in the "Match for Peace", which was played at the Stadio Olimpico, in Rome, with the proceeds being donated entirely to charity.[317][318] That same year, he revealed that he supported Inter in his youth, and that his favourite footballers and major influences as a player were German former midfielderLothar Matthäus – as he played for Inter – and compatriot Roberto Baggio – due to his playing style and role on the pitch as an offensive playmaker, with which Pirlo identified at the time.[319]
In July 2016, it was reported that Pirlo's jersey was the highest-selling MLS shirt in 2016.[320]
On 7 July 2017, Pirlo's partner, Valentina Baldini, gave birth to their twin sons named Leonardo and Tommaso.[321][322]
^Roberto Di Maggio; José Luis Pierrend (14 September 2017)."Appearances for Italy National Team". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved7 November 2017.
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