Italian football legend Andrea Pirlo has said that he could one day become a football manager, thanks to the influence of current Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.
The 38-year-old Pirlo is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and was renowned for his exceptional free-kick-taking ability.
The 116-times capped international retired from the game last year after seeing out his career with three seasons at MLS side New York City. During his playing days, he also represented three of Italy’s biggest clubs, namely Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan, and had a career with the Italian national team that spanned 2002 to 2015. He was famously part of the 2006 World Cup-winning Italy team and also won four Serie A titles and two Champions League titles during his career.
Since Pirlo ended his playing career, rumours have persisted that he will enter into football management. It has even been suggested that he could be the assistant to Carlo Ancelotti if the former PSG and AC Milan boss becomes the new Italian national team manager. However, that particular route may be fairly unlikely as recent reports claim that Roberto Mancini is now in talks to helm Gli Azzurri, leaving Ancelotti worthy of a free bet for punters who feel he could still be in the picture. Claudio Ranieri is also seen as a potential outside candidate.
Either way, the signs certainly suggest that Pirlo will enter into coaching or management in the near future. He was known for having a good football brain, which would hold him good stead were he to look to earn his coaching qualifications. He also loves the game and it is hard to see him stepping away from the spotlight anytime soon.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Pirlo revealed that he would consider a career in management due to the influence of compatriot Conte, who he played under while at Juventus.
He said: “Many of my former teammates have become coaches, and I? All my former teammates did not want to become coaches, then they did become coaches.
“But for now, I do not think about it, but I will start doing the course because having the license can be convenient. Antonio Conte at Juventus, with his obsession with letting us see and continually review videos, has the passion for coaching.”
It is likely that the former playmaker will spend a few years under the guidance of a seasoned manager and then eventually get into managing big clubs himself once he completes the necessary learning processes. In the future, we are likely to see the legendary Pirlo gracing our screens and managing some of the biggest clubs in world football.
