10 World-Class Footballers Who Were Rejected as Youngsters

#2 Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders to have played the game

Even Andrea Pirlo was rejected. In fact, not once, but twice.

At the tender age of 19, the Italian footballing icon moved to Inter Milan after having impressed as an attacking midfielder for boyhood club, Brescia. However, he failed to replicate the same vein at Milan, which led to a couple of loan moves, one of them which was at Brescia.

The midfielder was moved to a deeper role and he ran the game from the same position. He switched to AC Milan, won two Champions League trophies but ran out of favor as the Rossoneri decided to revamp the squad.

Pirlo was snapped up by Juventus and you know the rest!

Success followed him and the midfield metronome went on to win four league titles and two cups. The maestro was also a part of the Italy squad that lifted the 2006 World Cup.