Creating opportunities for others to score and spectacular long range free kicks are the hallmark of his game. Pirlo’s vision and passing ability is now much admired, but as a young prodigy in Brescia it was a different story.
The results of La Masia speak for themselves, with all three finalists of the 2010 Ballon D’Or coming from Barcelona’s youth academy
So said Empoli U-15 coach Simone Bombardieri to me on my recent visit to Serie A clubs Fiorentina and Empoli.
Wales and Real Madrid forward, Gareth Bale, “hates early mornings”
Marco Veratti, in action here for Italy, is one of a host of young footballers off the Italian youth system production line.
Andrea Pirlo in action – just one player in a long list of great Italian footballers.
Brazil’s Neymar, right, vies for the ball with New Zealand’s Tim Payne
“Professional football is such a cut-throat environment.”