Italian footballer Andrea Pirlo announces retirement

November 9, 2017 On Monday, Italian midfielder formally announced his retirement from football. A 2006 winner with Italy, Pirlo had announced his intentions to end the 22-year-career last month, and his final professional game ended in a 2–0 win for  (NYCFC) against  in  play-offs at. "As my time in NYC FC comes to an end, I want to thank everybody for the kindness and support they have shown me in this incredible city", 38-year-old Pirlo wrote on Twitter. Last month, the Italian told 

Pirlo spent 20 years playing in Italy, making his professional debut for before moving to Internazionale in 1998. Three years later, in 2001, he made a switch to Inter's local rivals, AC Milan. Pirlo spent a decade with Milan, and won two Serie A titles, and two UEFA Champions League titles &mdash; in 2003 and in 2007, just a year after Pirlo won the World Cup in Germany with Azzurri defeating France.

His contract with Milan expired in 2011, and then 32-year-old Pirlo moved to and joined Juventus. He won four consecutive Serie A titles with the Old Lady. He was close to winning a third UEFA Champions League gold medal in 2015, but Juventus lost 3–1 against FC Barcelona in the final.

Having won six Italian league titles, two Champions League and as well as a World Cup with the national team, Pirlo moved to Yankee Stadium in July 2015. Pirlo was substituted in during the 90th minute in his last match for NYCFC, losing 4–3 on aggregate in the MLS play-offs. NYCFC's manager said, "He [Pirlo] had a fantastic career, not just on the field but off it because he's a true gentleman. He's a really good guy."