Andrea Pirlo: The most decisive player of all time for the Italian national team

It is often said that it is wrong to compare players of different eras and different styles. But, this is applicable only when you compare statistics of individuals or teams of various generations. Italy have had a long list of players who have shone at both club and international level.

It would be extremely tough to pick one player whose presence and performance is very decisive to the team he plays for. Let’s begin a journey of finding that one player who has always been the most important player of the national team he has played for.

Pirlo with the under 21 European Championships trophy

Andrea Pirlo started his football career as a trequartista with huge potential. The Maestro’s career began successfully at the international level when he led Italy’s under 21 team to being victorious at the European Championship. He was the top goal scorer and the golden player of that tournament despite being sent off in the group game against Slovakia.

Pirlo struggled at Inter before moving to Brescia where he was employed by Carlo Mazzone as a deep lying playmaker or a regista. Having made his debut against Azerbaijan in a EURO 2004 qualifier game, Pirlo has more than a century of caps to his name for the Azzurri.

Pirlo enjoyed winning a lot of trophies and won everything that can be won at club level when he moved to Milan in 2001. Shortly before the 2004 European Championship, he netted his first goal in a 4-0 friendly win over Tunisia. Trapattoni included him in the squad for the subsequent EURO but was widely criticised for not picking him in the opening game against Denmark that ended in a stalemate as Italy would crash out of the tournament. The former Milan player would also represent Italy at the summer Olympics in 2004 and win a bronze medal. It was under Lippi where Pirlo truly reached his potential for the Azzurri.

Being very impressive in the qualifying stages to the World Cup, Pirlo would net the opening goal for Italy in the 2006 World Cup. That did not stop him there as he would dictate play and create a lot of chances while helping in keeping possession in every game he featured. He would finish the grandest football tournament giving 3 assists, scoring one goal, netting an important penalty and winning the man of the match award in the final against France.

He was also awarded the Bronze Ball at that World Cup. While the likes of Cannavaro, Buffon and Gattuso were important in way of keeping Italy in the game and Totti recovering from injury to be the top assist maker, Pirlo was the notable difference between winning the game and staying on par with their opponents. A memorable tournament that began with scandals at their own backyard and Nesta being injured in the second game, Italy as underdogs would win their 4th World Cup.

Milan legend Roberto Donadoni would take Italy into their next tournament being the EURO 2008. Donadoni’s side would enter the tournament without Totti and Nesta as one of the favorites to win it. Italy would succumb to Spain in a penalty shootout despite being the only team not to concede against them in the entire Championships as Pirlo was suspended for that game.

Lippi would return to coach Italy and take them into the Confederations cup where their performance would be dependent on Pirlo again. Having set up Rossi following a beautiful trick to score against the Americans, Italy would go out of the 2009 Confederations Cup in the group stage.

The 2010 World Cup set up the stage that portrayed the dependence of Italy on Pirlo who was injured on the eve of the World Cup and would feature only in the last group game. Having lost Buffon to injury in the first game against Paraguay, Italy were in shackles and Lippi’s side couldn’t surpass the group stage.

Despite coming on in the end and providing Italy with that lost spark, the Mozart couldn’t overturn a deficit and help Lippi’s side progress. Prandelli replaced Lippi and a year later Pirlo who was struggling with injuries, moved to Juventus. Galliani and Allegri did not value him that much and a move to rivals Juventus suited the Old Lady and the veteran midfielder as he was back playing his best football helping the Turin side win their first Scudetto in the Conte’s first season.

Pirlo would inspire Italy to the final in the 2012 European Championships before they would be defeated by Spain. After having won a consecutive Scudetto with the most coveted team in Italy, Pirlo would return to score on his 100th appearance in the 2013 Confederations Cup group game helping Italy secure 3rd place.