Andrea Pirlo, the iconic Italian midfielder, has described his nation's failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup as a "disaster." Reflecting on Italy's rich footballing history, Pirlo expressed deep disappointment with the current state of the national team.
"Sadly, it's a really hard time for the Italian national team. We've missed the World Cup three times in a row now. It's quite a disaster," Pirlo told Daily Mail Sport in an exclusive interview. "It's not easy for us but it's what we deserve as it's what we've become to be. So, I think we have to prepare for the future, prepare to qualify for the Euros and then hopefully into the next World Cup."
Italy last won the World Cup 20 years ago, a tournament where Pirlo played a pivotal role, delivering a man-of-the-match performance in the final. "Twenty years ago, Pirlo put in a man-of-the-match performance as Italy won the World Cup."
As the current World Cup knockout stages unfold, Pirlo shared his thoughts on the potential winners. He identified France, Spain, and Portugal as the main favorites, but believes France has the strongest chance. "I think France, Spain, and Portugal are the main favourites. Then there could be some surprises, but I think France has the most possibilities. But football is a strange game, so you never know."
Pirlo also highlighted players he admires, drawing parallels to his own technical style. "I like Vitinha [Portugal] and Pedri [Spain] - they are technical players that try to make their team play a good game," he said. "[Netherlands' Frenkie] De Jong is another too."
When discussing England's prospects of winning the tournament, Pirlo outlined key factors for success, drawing from Italy's 2006 triumph. "There are a lot of components. You, of course, need good players who are healthy physically and also mentally," he explained. "You also need a bit of luck because you may get easier matches during the World Cup. And of course, you need a really good group cohesion because you have to be together for at least a month and you need to have a good group that can play together to win. It's not easy but it helps to increase your chances."
Pirlo also commented on the Premier League, expressing his belief that Manchester United's new signing Ederson will be a success. "I think he is a player good for the Premier League, he is dynamic runner and intense. I think he is a player that can adapt really well there."
He was effusive in his praise for Arsenal's Premier League-winning season, noting the importance of their center-backs. "I think they really deserved it [the Premier League title]," Pirlo stated. "They played a pretty-dominant game all season... However, the centre backs [Saliba and Gabriel] are the ones playing football at a world level and they make a difference."
Transitioning from his playing career, Pirlo is now a manager, currently coaching Dubai United. He recently led the club to promotion back to the UAE's Pro League, a success he was "really happy about."
While he remains focused on his current role, Pirlo harbors ambitions of managing in the Premier League. "It's everyone's dream to coach in the Premier League," he said. "I have received opportunities to coach in the Premier League in the past but I decided otherwise. But of course, I think everyone wants and dreams about playing or coaching in the Premier League because it's one of the best championships in the world."
When asked about managing his former club AC Milan, Pirlo suggested the team needs to "start afresh" after failing to qualify for the Champions League.