Former Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo still has much more to offer despite entering his twilight years, according to ex team-mate Mirko Vucinic.
Pirlo ended a glittering stint in his homeland this summer by agreeing to move to new Major League Soccer franchise New York City, joining a star-studded side containing Chelsea legend Frank Lampard and Spain’s World Cup-winning striker David Villa.
Primi giorni… @NYCFC pic.twitter.com/LutPob82nW
— Andrea Pirlo (@Pirlo_official) July 25, 2015
The 36-year-old is poised to make his New York debut today against fellow new franchise Orlando and Vucinic believes the man nicknamed ‘The Professor’ during his time with the Bianconeri still has a few lessons to teach.
“I don’t know if it was the right time for him to leave Italy because I think he can play football for his whole life,” the 31-year-old told Sport360.
“I think it was difficult for him because perhaps he stayed too long at Juve, but he’s an icon in Italy.
“I think he can play longer and I hope he does because he loves football and all people who love football love Pirlo.”
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Together Vucinic and Pirlo won three successive Serie A titles at Juve between 2011 and 2014.
They formed the crucial foundation for the new school, as the Old Lady stormed clear of the Calciopoli scandal of 2006. Relegation to Serie B was remedied immediately by promotion back to the top flight.
The spark was the summer of 2011 and the arrivals of Pirlo – somehow allowed to leave on a free by AC Milan – Vucinic from Roma and Arturo Vidal from Bayer Leverkusen.
And thanks largely to the old man pulling the strings in their midfield, they haven’t looked back since.
“He has something nobody else has. We call him The Professor because when he plays, he plays like a professor. He knows everything. Who moves left, who moves right,” said last season’s Arabian Gulf League top goalscorer. “He’s never been fast but when he has the ball at his feet it’s amazing.”
At the other end of the age spectrum is Paul Pogba, one of the game’s biggest young stars.
The paths of the 22-year-old France international and Vucinic also crossed in Turin, and the Al Jazira striker believes Pogba would have gained invaluable experience playing alongside Pirlo.
“He (Pogba) is a very good player. He was a very good player two years ago when I was at Juventus, now he is an incredible player,” he added.
“I don’t know about his future at Juve. It is not an easy question. But he is young and he has a big future. It would have been good for Pogba to be around Pirlo, I’m sure he would have given him advice.”
