Football Special Report: footballers featured in both halves of the San Siro Part 2
Andrea Pirlo the Italian World Cup winner, currently plays for AC Milan and the Italian national team. Pirlo started really young, playing for U-15’s, U-18’s and the U-21’s. He captained and led the U-21’s to victory in the 2000 UEFA European under 21 Football Championship and earned the Golden Player and Top Scorer awards of the tournament. He joined the senior team in 2002 for the World Cup qualifiers and was instrumental in the 2004 Olympics bronze medal and the victory in the 2006 World Cup.
With AC Milan Pirlo won two UEFA Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007, two European Super Cups in 2003 and 2007, a Scudetto in 2004, an Italian Super Cup in 2004, a FIFA Club World Cup in 2006 and the Italian Cup in 2003.
Pirlo is a central midfielder and plays the role of a deep lying playmaker for both club and country. In the 2006 and 2007 IFFHS World Playmaker of the Year awards Pirlo came in third and second, respectively. He has recently adopted the old position, as a traditional play-maker behind strikers. His long passes, which often set up goal-scoring opportunities, are an essential part of this newly-acquired position.
Pirlo started off his club career with his hometown club, Brescia. After playing for the Brescia first team, Pirlo was spotted by Internazionale. Coach Mircea Lucescu was very impressed with the midfielder and signed him in the 1998 season. However, Pirlo failed to make it to the first team and Internazionale finished 8th in the Seri A that season. Pirlo was loaned off to Reggina, where he was in very good form after which he was called back to Internazionale. However, he was once again unable to break into the first team and after only four league appearances; he was loaned to his first club, Brescia.
After three unsuccessful seasons at Inter Milan, rivals AC Milan showed interest and he was sold for 35 billion Italian lire, which was a part of the fees of Drazen Brncic joining Inter. Despite controversy surrounding the transfer, both clubs were accused of trying to create false profit by inflating the transfer fees in the exchange deal, Pirlo did very well at Milan, developing into a world-class player.
At Milan, Pirlo started off as an offensive midfielder, but Carlo Ancelotti, the then Milan coach worked on developing him into a deep-seated playmaker. Since Ancelotti took charge, Pirlo formed a fearsome partnership with Gattuso in midfield. He led Seri A in the 2002-2003 season in the passes played, ball possession, successful balls and successful passes. His impressive stats helped him earn a nomination for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year Award, unfortunately teammate Kaka won that award instead.
After Carlo Ancelotti left AC Milan for Chelsea, the Blues offered $12m and Claudio Pizarro for the Italian striker. However, the club rejected the offer and tensions were high as Pirlo was said to be thinking of a transfer request. But Berlusconi, on the 5th of August said that he had decided not to sell Pirlo, who then revealed he was overjoyed with the decision and planned to end his career at Milan.
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