I Think Therefore I Play by Andrea Pirlo with Alessandro Alciato

“You can’t be Pirlo any more. That was a difficult idea to acceptIn actual fact, it was deeply unjust. It brought on the start of as sore stomach as I searched in vain for that lost stimulus.”

This paragraph is shows you all you need to know about Andrea Pirlo the man and the footballer. He is full of heart and he’s also an extremely hungry individual, constantly looking to improve and win all the time.

In this book we get twenty paragraphs and they are all full of themes. We have passion, dismay, bitterness, humour friendship, pride, respect… The list seems to go on and on.

Andrea Pirlo never does anything in half measures and this book is no different. He opens up on his professional life, gets into football politics and like the wizard he is he shows us a bit behind the curtain without spoiling it for us.

I thought I knew Andrea Pirlo. An extremely talented footballer, proud Italian and a legend of Serie A. But you come away from this book finding out a hell of a lot more about this genius. For example how he was close on three occasions to leave Milan for foreign clubs, at least in his mind anyway. Setting the scene of moving to Madrid by talking in Spanish throughout his holidays, getting his brain used to the idea if you will.

I also never knew how funny and sweary Senior Pirlo is. His stories of Rino Gattuso almost reached bullying levels until he pointed out that Rino would put out a few players with fork stabbing incidents. His story of Pippo Inzaghi’s ‘crapping’ ritual was hilarious.

You can also tell that he remains bitter about his Milan exit and interestingly enough shows his hate for man to man markers. A bit brave considering opposition manager across Europe will have picked up this book and read it. I’m sure he’ll have even more intimate experiences on the field.

His chapter on taking his most important (World Cup final) and his most famous (against England Euro 2012) penalties was extremely interesting. As was his story on how he tried to perfect the Juninho Pernambucano free-kicks. His detail on his thought process is outstanding and a must for any young player if they want to read about true dedication.

All in all we learn that Pirlo is a thoughtful footballer, a bit laid back and almost a typical fan. Like a lot of us, he escapes in the world known as the Playstation. His admiration for Barcelona and Pep Guardiola is touching.

But unlike most of us, he also lives out the realities of football. You still come away with the feeling that although pleasant at time the business of football is still a bit dirty and full of greed. Just read about his affair with the Qatari’s in the final chapter.

Andrea Pirlo himself remains constant and classy. Funny, dedicated and thoughtful.

It was a pleasure to find out more about this Italian superstar and refreshing to see a man remain untouched by fame and fortune.

A superb read, that would be ideal for a long weekend or for a long train journey. But be warned it’s hard to put down once you start!

Publisher: Backpage Press

Available to buy HERE

Note on Picture: With all my new product and book reviews I am aiming to en-capture the products in a picture that can help sum up the subject. I call it marketing art.

In this picture I have decided to play on the ‘No Pirlo No Party’ quote that the Juve fanbase love to shout about.

Obviously the book takes pride of place in the middle of a dishevelled Italian party scene, squashing the party cake with the precision of a Pirlo freekick. The Italian designer sunglasses represent Pirlo’s style and intrigue. The Italian beer on the money is that little temptation that every great player finds themselves in these days. Even at 35 that temptation is always on Andrea Pirlo’s shoulder. The number five (azzurri blue candle) represents the maestro’s success and his five scudetto titles.

Posted on August 12th, 2014 by scott
Filed under: Book Review, Product Review