INQUISITR.COM / Sports

Andrea Pirlo Set To Join MLS Club New York City FC After Four Years With Juventus

By Johnny Salvatore
Published on: 03:53 PST, Jul 6, 2015

Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo has officially announced his move from Juventus FC in Italy’s top league Serie A to New York City FC of Major League Soccer.

Pirlo is one of many aging soccer stars who eventually make the move to MLS later in their careers, following in the footsteps of Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Kaka (Orlando City), and new teammates David Villa (NYCFC) and Frank Lampard (NYCFC).

Here’s Andrea talking about the transfer, per NYCFC.

“I have been wanting this experience for a long time and now that the opportunity materialized I wanted to take it. This is a Club on the rise and shares my same hunger to achieve important results in the League. I am hoping to win.”

“I had several opportunities to play outside of Italy, but I never had a doubt in picking New York for the enthusiasm of the people that come watch the team.”

“I met with the coach, Jason Kreis, and he gave me a fantastic impression of the Club. He has well defined ideas in mind, and I am sure we will get on well and create a good relationship to train well and try to win together.”

NYCFC Head Coach Jason Kreis had this to say following the addition of one of Italy’s all-time greatest players.

“We have said from the outset that the right player for the third DP slot was worth waiting for. Nobody could question that in Pirlo we are bringing one of the best in the world and one of the finest players to come to MLS. Like David Villa, his final game in Europe was the Champions League Final, which demonstrates a player competing at the highest level of our sport.”

“We are getting a player with a competitive spirit and a winning mentality. He’s not only won a World Cup, he was the Serie A Player of the Year in three of the last four seasons.”

As the Inquisitr previously noted, Pirlo was instrumental in leading the Juventus squad to the Champions League Final this past season – his first time back after an eight-year sojourn.

Currently 36-years-old, Andrea was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2012, 2013, and 2014. During his four-year stint with Juve, the team won four Serie A titles (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) as well as two Supercoppe Italiane in 2012 and 2013, and a Coppa Italia in 2015.

During international play with the Italian side, Pirlo has recorded 113 caps, in which the free-kick specialist has totaled 13 goals. When Italy won the World Cup in 2006, Andrea was named the tournament’s third best player, taking home the Bronze Ball, according to FIFA.

Here are some immediate reactions from Twitter.

Here are some of the amazing highlights throughout the stupendous career of Andrea Pirlo.

[Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images]

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