Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo ( 2012)
Andrea Pirlo ( born May 19, 1979 in Flero (BS ), Italy) is an Italian football player. The central midfielder is known for its perfect fit, its precise corners and free kicks and his skills as a playmaker.
- 3.1 In the club
- 3.2 In the National Team
- 3.3 Personal Awards
- 4.1 External links
- 4.2 Notes and references
Career
Clubs
Andrea Pirlo started his professional career in 1994 at Brescia Calcio. In 1998 he moved to Inter Milan. From there, he was loaned to Reggina Calcio 1999. From 2000 to January 2001, the midfielder played back at Inter and was awarded back to Brescia from January 2001. In summer 2001, Pirlo was for the equivalent of 17.5 million euros for AC Milan. With Milan he won in 2004 and 2011, the Italian Cup and the Champions League in the years 2003 and 2007; in the final in 2007, he prepared a hit.
Prior to the 2011/12 season the 32 -year-old Pirlo joined free transfer to Juventus. He signed a three-year contract until 30 June 2014. His first goal for Juventus he scored 18 February 2012 in a 3-1 victory in the Serie A match against Catania Calcio. In the season 2011/12 Pirlo was a top performer and won under coach Antonio Conte his third Italian championship. He made it along with Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal central midfield axis and had 14 assists and three hits share of the unbeaten winning the Scudettos.
National
On September 7, 2002 Pirlo made his debut in the Italian national team. As a result, he took with the Azzurri at the 2004 European Championships in Portugal in part.
But above all he was part of the team that won the title at the 2006 World Cup. The important role that he played there, was honored by FIFA by the respective award "Man of the Match" in the group match against Ghana, in the semi-final against Germany and in the final against France. In the first World Cup match against Ghana Italy Pirlo scored the first goal for his country in this tournament, he prepared several goals - including the semi-finals and the finals - before and converted a penalty in the penalty shootout in the final against France. After the final Pirlo was voted " Player of the Match". When choosing the best player of the World Cup, he finished behind Zinedine Zidane and his team-mate Fabio Cannavaro, who was also elected at all this year as the first central defender for World and European Footballer of the third. Pirlo was part of a 23- player all-star team of the 2006 World Cup.
At the European Championships in 2012, he was elected three times in five games for "Man of the Match" ( against Croatia, England and Germany ). Against Croatia, he scored on a direct free kick against England he met in a penalty shootout with a Panenka Lifter. Sports reporter Christian Eichler described him as "one of the best midfielders in the world." Pirlo was elected to the 23 -man UEFA All- Star Team of the tournament European Championship in 2012.
In May 2013 Pirlo announced at the presentation of his autobiography that he wanted to end his international career after the 2014 World Cup to give younger players the opportunity to develop in the national team.
On June 16, 2013 he played in the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 in the first group match against Mexico his 100th game and scored by a direct free-kick to lead 1-0 hits ( Full 2:1).
Game character
Its very good technique, overview and game intelligence be regarded as its most salient strengths. In addition, he makes, especially in free kicks, often carefully his shooting power and accuracy to be. In the Italian national Pirlo takes usually every corner kicks and free kicks. The midfielder is characterized above all by being present in important games and prepare goals or achieve. Especially Pirlo's long and accurate passes into the free space that keep the risk. This is also reflected in its statistics as Assist donors.
From a disastrous appearance Pirlo was nicknamed l' architetto ( the architect), Italy's world champion coach Marcello Lippi coined the term leader silenzioso (silent leader ).
Achievements
In the club
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2007
- Champions League winner: 2002 /03, 2006/07
- UEFA Super Cup winner: 2003, 2007
- Italian Champion: 2003 / 04, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13
- Italian Cup Winners: 2002 /03
- Italian Super Cup: 2004, 2012, 2013
In the National Team
- U-21 European Championship: 2000
- Bronze medal at the Summer Olympics: 2004
- World Champion: 2006
- European runners-up: 2012
- Third in the Confederations Cup: 2013
Personal Awards
- Ritter ( 2004) and Officer (2006) Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Italian Footballer of the Year: 2012, 2013
- Bronze Ball World Cup 2006
- All- Star Team of the World Cup 2006
- All- star team of Euro 2012
- FIFPro World XI 2006
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2012