Thursday, July 12, 2012

Andrea Pirlo


Profile Football Stars | Andrea Pirlo | Pirlo has played for the Italian U-15 youth teams, U-18 and U-21, captaining and leading the latter to victory in the 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship as the Golden Player and top scorer of the tournament. Pirlo was born in Flero, Lombardy, Italy. His brother Ivan plays for a Serie C2 club in Brescia. Pirlo made his debut for Brescia against Reggina. After breaking into the Brescia first team, Pirlo was spotted by Internazionale coach Mircea Lucescu, WHO signed the playmaker. Pirlo was Unable to break into the first squad, however, and Internazionale finished eighth in the 1998-99 Serie A campaign. Pirlo was shipped off on loan to the club he made his debut against in 1995, Reggina.


After three seasons on the Internazionale books, Pirlo was sold to Fierce rivals Milan for 35 billion Italian lire (about € 18 million). That transfer windows the two clubs also swapped Cristian Brocchi for Guly; Paolo Ginestra for Matteo Bogani. Milan played host to Genoa on 25 September 2010, Pirlo lifted Provided a lovely ball over the top of the defense to set the striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic free to score the solitary goal of the game. On 2 October Pirlo scored a 40-yard field goal against Parma to give Milan Their first away win of the 2010-11 season. On 14 May 2011, Pirlo Appeared in his last match for Milan, coming on as a half-time substitute for Massimo Ambrosini as the club with a Celebrated Their Title 4-1 victory over Cagliari. In his last season in Milan, Pirlo Appeared only in the league 17 times notching just one goal and three assists.


In 2011, Juventus signed Pirlo as a free agent on a contract That will last until 2014. His debut with Juventus was a friendly match against Sporting Clube de Portugal, the which They lost 2-1. Antonio Conte played him alongside younger midfielders Marchisio and new signing Arturo Vidal in a three-man midfield. Pirlo and Juventus also finished runners up to SSC Napoli in the Coppa Italia final.


Pirlo captained Italy to an Under-21 European Championship in 2000 (wearing the number 10 jersey and winning the award for best player) and semi-finalists in 2002. Pirlo played for Italy at the 2000 Summer Olympics, won the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. Pirlo was a member of the Italian Squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In Italy's first match in the tournament, Pirlo scored the opening goal against Ghana, and subsequently set up a goal for Vincenzo Iaquinta to seal a 2-0 victory , as the midfielder was named Man of the Match. On 24 June, Pirlo produced a man-of-the-match performance against England as Italy won 4-2 on Penalties after the game had finished 0-0 in extra time.  In the semi-final round, on June 28, Pirlo once again put up a man-of-the-match performance against Germany, a match the which Italy won 2-1. Pirlo won three Man of the Match Awards for Euro 2012, equaled amongst with Andrés Iniesta of Spain and was elected to be part of the team of the tournament.


Personal information
Full name Andrea Pirlo
Date of birth 19 May 1979 (age 33)
Place of birth Flero, Lombardy, Italy
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1/2 in)
Playing position Midfielder

Club information
Current club Juventus
Number 21

Youth career
Brescia 1994-1995

Senior career

years Team
1995-1998 Brescia 47 (6)
1998-2001 Internazionale 22 (0)
Reggina 1999-2000 (loan) 28 (6)
2001 Brescia (loan) 10 (0)
Milan 2001-2011 284 (32)
2011-Juventus 37 (3)

National team
1998-2002 Italy U-21 37 (15)
2000-2004 Olympic Italy 9 (1)
2002-Italy 89 (10)


Honours


Club
Milan
     Serie A: 2003-04, 2010-11
     Coppa Italia: 2002-03
     Supercoppa Italiana: 2004
     UEFA Champions League: 2003, 2007
     UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007
     FIFA Club World Cup: 2007

Juventus
     Serie A: 2011-12

International
     UEFA Under-21 European Championship: 2000
     2004 Summer Olympics - Bronze medal
     FIFA World Cup: 2006
     UEFA Euro: 2012 - Silver medal

Individual

     UEFA European Under-21 Championship Golden Player: 2000
     UEFA European Under-21 Championship top scorer: 2000
     2006 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament
     FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball Award: 2006
     2006 FIFA World Cup Final Man of the Match
     FIFPro World XI: 2006
     UEFA Euro 2012 Team of the Tournament

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