Was Andreas Pirlo underrated?

[AshRK]

When always talking about great players I feel Pirlo's name is forgotten or not mentioned. Just looking at this video made me realize how amazing was he and how didn't big clubs like Real or Barca or even United ever try to sign him. Or how did Ac Milan let him go for free.

How much do you all rate him?

 

[Samid]

Underrated in his prime, slightly overrated towards the twilight of his career.

 

[Deery]

Class player you only had to watch him to see it, AC Milan thought the got the most out of him before letting him go and he was on the brink of signing for Real Madrid before going to Juve..

 

[Vidyoyo]

Second only to Andreas Pireira

 

[DVG7]

No. An absolute genius with a ball. You take a prime pirlo and pop him in any team in history, they’ll all give him the ball.

 

[TsuWave]

If anything, overrated. Look at the post above, ffs

 

[Sweet Square]

Him taking the piss out of Joe Heart will always be a nice memory

 

[broccoli]

Think he's one of the most talented players i've ever seen grace the field. He didn't need to use physicality to dribble, shoot or pass. A true artist, i have no doubt about it.

 

[uBradPittBRO?]

Forget about Pirlo - that touch by Baggio at 02:10 in that video .... wow! mouth watering stuff!

But yeah, Pirlo was pretty good at what he did and I don't base that opinion on youtube videos because even Kerlon looks like a superstar on Youtube.

Three lung Park was his Kryptonite though.... just saying.

"He (SAF) unleashed Park Ji-sung to shadow me. The midfielder must have been the first nuclear-powered South Korean in history, in the sense that he rushed about the pitch at the speed of an electron."

-Pirlo's autobiography

 

[Irwin99]

He was fantastic, one of my favourite players. His performances against England were brilliant (especially the first one). I think I remember Michael Owen saying before the first game that Gerrard was a better holding midfielder and the difference between the two of them was night and day. Also Mark Lawrenson saying no Italian player would get in that England team

Just watched his individual highlights of that 2012 game against England and no one is instructed to get tight to him and he's just left to dominate the game.

 

[Spiersey]

Think he’s overrated. He was excellent in the twilight of his career which has led to people massively overrating the rest of his career for me. I genuinely think he would barely be spoken about now if not for his final 2 years or so (before NYC of course). Very good player, certainly world class but wouldn’t have him down as one of the best ever.

 

[2mufc0]

Yes. He pretty much won everything playing an integral part.

 

[clarkydaz]

Didnt Pep want him at Barca?

 

[cian68]

No. The whole world fell in love with him when he wasn't even at his best

 

[RUCK4444]

I too would edge towards the slightly-overrated side of the fence.

As others mentioned his twilight period of his career was majestic and he was revered for for having that vision and ability at that age.

Overall though I do think there is an element of revisionism because of the twilight period where people elevate him to something he perhaps wasn't.

It's no slight on him, it happens with a lot of top players. I happen to feel slightly the same way about Zidane.

 

[Spiersey]

I too would edge towards the slightly-overrated side of the fence.

As others mentioned his twilight period of his career was majestic and he was revered for for having that vision and ability at that age.

Overall though I do think there is an element of revisionism because of the twilight period where people elevate him to something he perhaps wasn't.

It's no slight on him, it happens with a lot of top players. I happen to feel slightly the same way about Zidane.

When I was writing my comment I was trying to think of players who also excelled at the end of their careers and Zidane was the one who sprung to mind too. His final World Cup was incredible.

Unsure if there are many more who would have a similar period to Pirlo, it’s probably only CB and Cm’s that it’s possible for given losing pace and reaction time as you age.

 

[Synco]

One of the best CM playmakers and set-piece takers I've seen playing. Historical grading is always guesswork, but I'd put him among the best of all time in his department.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Late bloomer who turned into one of the most beautiful maestros ever seen.

 

[Harry190]

That night they beat us 3-0 at the San Siro the year before we went supernova, he was disgusting. A true lesson in football. He chipped Scholes or Giggs I think in the centre circle over a distance of 5 feet. I had never seen that before.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Definitely a great player, but he's one of the very last midfielders of his time that i would think of as underrated...he got plenty of praise and was known around the world. I don't really agree he played his best football at the end of his career either, though that was arguably when he got most credit and notice outside of Italy. His last 2-3 seasons with Milan went stagnant so the revival at Juve stood out, but his best was definitely with Milan and the 2006 WC a peak internationally

 

[mariachi-19]

That night they beat us 3-0 at the San Siro the year before we went supernova, he was disgusting. A true lesson in football. He chipped Scholes or Giggs I think in the centre circle over a distance of 5 feet. I had never seen that before.

He then got taught a lesson by Ji Sung Park over 2 legs when we played against Milan in 2010 and he added virtually zero to the tie. He was 30 around that time. For a midfielder of his type, he should have been at the peak of his powers. Swings and round abouts.

Great player, but there were better midfielders in every position he played in from his generation. I also wonder how many other players would have benefitted from a "resurgence" playing for Juventus in Italy from 2011 onwards... in fact at the same age bracket, Scholes had a much larger imapct on the success of United than Pirlo ever did for Juventus...

 

[thepolice123]

Had two great international tournaments where he was easily Italy's best player. Many great players barely even had one.

 

[GifLord]

How was he underrated? Even at Milan he was known to be one of the best midfielders in the world

edit:
16 year old thread about pirlo on BS

 

[SilentStrike]

I'd say overrated. Especcially when he went to Juventus. The Juve midfield consisted of Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba and they were playing in a very poor Serie A. For some reason we decided he had a good beard and he was legend exempt from critisism, so that when Juve lost it was down to other players anf when Juve won it was his brilliance. I truly remember being annoyed about the jerkfest over him during also the 2016 Euros or 2014 wc, not sure which is was, but he did nothing special but with each pass the commentators would shout "omg WHAT VISION"

 

[El General 1994]

Ji Sung Park

 

[kafta]

One of the best passers i've ever seen, and one of my favorites. Got better as he got older.

 

[SilentStrike]

Got better as he got older.

That's where I disagree. He was world class in 2006 and at Milan. He was just underappreciated earlier in his carreer. Later in his carreer that turned around and he got extremely overrated. Probably along with the media attention that he got forced out at Milan and then being an important player at a stronger Juventus.

A little bit the same reason Pogba was getting overrated at Juve because the media here enjoyed milking it out as a Man Utd blunder to let him go.

 

[GifLord]

That's where I disagree. He was world class in 2006 and at Milan. He was just underappreciated earlier in his carreer. Later in his carreer that turned around and he got extremely overrated. Probably along with the media attention that he got forced out at Milan and then being an important player at a stronger Juventus.

A little bit the same reason Pogba was getting overrated at Juve because the media here enjoyed milking it out as a Man Utd blunder to let him go.

Yup just like with Scholes when suddenly people started going crazy about him when he was in his mid 30s.
Pirlo at 24 took Rui Costa's place in the team that should tell you how good he was.

 

[elmo]

Scholes was better

 

[DWelbz19]

Grew a beard and did a few pings at the one of the later Euros so he was somehow on the table for elite central midfielders

 

[Irrational.]

Not sure about Andreas Pirlo, but Andrea Pirlo definitely wasn't underrated

He's known as one of the best midfielders of his generation.

 

[Stacks]

When always talking about great players I feel Pirlo's name is forgotten or not mentioned. Just looking at this video made me realize how amazing was he and how didn't big clubs like Real or Barca or even United ever try to sign him. Or how did Ac Milan let him go for free.

How much do you all rate him?

both Barca and Real came in for him. read his autobiography

 

[Stacks]

Grew a beard and did a few pings at the one of the later Euros so he was somehow on the table for elite central midfielders

I am sure this is satire

 

[Stacks]

I'd say overrated. Especcially when he went to Juventus. The Juve midfield consisted of Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba and they were playing in a very poor Serie A. For some reason we decided he had a good beard and he was legend exempt from critisism, so that when Juve lost it was down to other players anf when Juve won it was his brilliance. I truly remember being annoyed about the jerkfest over him during also the 2016 Euros or 2014 wc, not sure which is was, but he did nothing special but with each pass the commentators would shout "omg WHAT VISION"

overrated? so all these accolades were wrong............

• 2006 FIFA World Cup: All-star team[3]
• 2006 FIFA World Cup: Bronze Ball[3]
• 2006 FIFA World Cup: Top Assist Provider[312]
• 2006 FIFA World Cup Final: Man of the Match[3]
• IFFHS World's Best Playmaker: 3rd place 2006,[313] 2nd place 2007,[314] 9th place 2009,[315] 4th place 2012,[316] 3rd place 2013,[317] 3rd place 2015[318][319]
• FIFPro World XI: 2006[12]
• FIFA FIFPro World XI 3rd team: 2013, 2014[320][321]
• Ballon d'Or: 2006 (9th place),[67][322] 2007 (5th place),[76] 2012 (7th place)[118][323]
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2007 (7th place)[3]
• UEFA Super Cup Man of the Match: 2007[73]
• ESPN World Team of the Decade: 2009[324]
• ESM Team of the Year: 2011–12[108]
• Pallone d'Argento: 2011–12[325]
• Pallone Azzurro: 2012[326]
• Guerin d'Oro: 2012[327]
• UEFA European Championship Teams of the Tournament: 2012[109]
• UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 2012 (4th place),[109] 2015 (7th place)[11]
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2012[109]
• 2011–12 Serie A Top Assist Provider[104]
• Serie A Team of the Year: 2011–12,[328] 2012–13,[125] 2013–14,[329][330] 2014–15
• Serie A Midfielder of the Year: 2012
• Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2012, 2013, 2014
• Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2013
• FIFA Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament: 2013
• FIFA Confederations Cup Castrol Index Top XI: 2013
• UEFA Europa League Team of the Season: 2013–14
• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2014–15[
• A.C. Milan Hall of Fame[8]
• All-time UEFA European Under-21 Championship dream team: 2015
• New York City's Ride of Fame: September 2015
• Globe Soccer Awards Player Career Award: 2015
• UEFA European Championship All-time XI: 2016

 

[Nick7]

Underrated when he was at the top of his game. You can even see it when people post here that he was overrated late in his career.

 

[Stacks]

He then got taught a lesson by Ji Sung Park over 2 legs when we played against Milan in 2010 and he added virtually zero to the tie. He was 30 around that time. For a midfielder of his type, he should have been at the peak of his powers. Swings and round abouts.

Great player, but there were better midfielders in every position he played in from his generation. I also wonder how many other players would have benefitted from a "resurgence" playing for Juventus in Italy from 2011 onwards... in fact at the same age bracket, Scholes had a much larger imapct on the success of United than Pirlo ever did for Juventus...

No he didn't. Scholes got replaced big Giggs. Was on the bench in the 2009 final aged 33 where as Pirlo was starting in the CL final at that age

 

[norm87cro]

I'd say he was always just a "little bit" overrated amongst many. He had a great ball and good vision but so did other players. Remember Park being all over him in that 4 0 hammering. Don't think he would cut it in the Prem though

 

[Vault Dweller]

Forget about Pirlo - that touch by Baggio at 02:10 in that video .... wow! mouth watering stuff!

But yeah, Pirlo was pretty good at what he did and I don't base that opinion on youtube videos because even Kerlon looks like a superstar on Youtube.

Three lung Park was his Kryptonite though.... just saying.

"He (SAF) unleashed Park Ji-sung to shadow me. The midfielder must have been the first nuclear-powered South Korean in history, in the sense that he rushed about the pitch at the speed of an electron."

-Pirlo's autobiography

Mint player

 

[Shalashaska]

Very similar story to the Scholes revisionism.

They both won everything in amazing teams in their prime, and were un-droppable, but were not the "glamour" players for their respective teams so weren't spoke about as greats at the time.

Then once all the Beckhams had moved on, they were a throwback to those classic teams and importantly still performing in elite teams, and could play breathtaking long passes that the fans and pundits loved. The pundits were also important, because by the time the pair of them were 35, most new pundits had played with or against them, or knew someone that had, so each game you would have a familiar player in the studio going "playing with Scholes is the easiest job" etc.

Both players are absolute legends and deserve their spot in footballing history, but do get a small amount of inflation due to the timing and longevity of their careers.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

When always talking about great players I feel Pirlo's name is forgotten or not mentioned. Just looking at this video made me realize how amazing was he and how didn't big clubs like Real or Barca or even United ever try to sign him. Or how did Ac Milan let him go for free.

How much do you all rate him?

According to his autobiography, both Real and Barca did, and he flirted with them, and then didn't go. It also says he was close to joining Chelsea under Ancelotti, but Chelsea only wanted to offer him a one year deal, bizarrely. Then City wanted him when he moved on a free to Juve.

Though I'm not sure how much of his book is genuine. It's certainly among the weirder autobiographies I've read. It reads like he's tanked on red wine the whole time.