Andrea Pirlo (Deep-lying playmaker)
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Although Andrea Pirlo now exhibits his silky skills in the MLS, he is considered to be one the greatest ever deep-lying playmakers to have played the game. One of the finest midfielders of his generation, he is one of the best free-kick takers in the world and is known for his technical flair and creativity. The Italian maestro has been likened to a fine wine that keeps getting better with age.
Pirlo made his debut for Italy in Euro 2004, making an appearance in the last two matches of the group stages. The Italians were eliminated in the first round itself after being tied with Sweden and Denmark on five points.
In the 2008 edition, Pirlo helped Italy defeat France by scoring a penalty in their 2-0 victory. He was suspended for Italy’s loss to Spain in the quarter-finals as Italy were knocked out of the tournament. Pirlo was imperious in Italy’s run to the final in Euro 2012, winning three man-of-the-match awards for his performances. The veteran was responsible for England’s elimination from the tournament with his audacious panenka penalty in the quarter-final penalty shootouts.
He was voted into the team of the tournament in Euro 2012 and cemented his status as one of the midfielders in world football. Inspite of all his talent, he has not managed to win the Euros with Italy in his career. Andrea Pirlo is the ideal anchor for this European Championship XI.
