Pirlo's soccer legend: the glory and challenges of the national team
In 2000, Pirlo led the Italian U-21 team to win the European Youth Championships and was awarded the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot. In the same year, Pirlo again shone at the Sydney Olympics. In September of the same year, Pirlo made his debut for the Italian national team, and since then he has appeared frequently in the national team squad, and made his debut at the 2004 UEFA European Football Championships. Although Italy was eliminated in the first round, Pirlo's performance was memorable enough to be selected for the Olympic team again after the 2004 UEFA Nations Cup, where he captained the team to a bronze medal.
In the 2006 World Cup, Pirlo was a key contributor to Italy's victory with his precise maneuvers and key goals. Although he joined the national team in 2012 at the age of 33, his footballing intelligence continued to blossom at the 2012 UEFA European Championships, and at the 2013 Confederations Cup, Pirlo not only became only the fifth player in history to have played more than 100 matches for Italy, but also celebrated this milestone with a spectacular penalty against Mexico.
In his autobiography I Think, I Kick, Pirlo revealed plans to retire from the national team after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. However, in October 2014, Pirlo made an emergency return due to injury in the European qualifiers prior to the World Cup and helped Italy out of a difficult situation under Conte's leadership. This twisted experience undoubtedly added more legendary color to Pirlo's soccer career.
Pirlo's national team chapter: a journey of glory and challenges
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