AC Milan legend Andriy Shevchenko believes that former teammate and 2006 FIFA World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo could dictate matches without even running due to his football intelligence.
Pirlo, 41, who played for Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and New York City FC, among others, before announcing his retirement from professional football in 2018, was known for his calming presence on the pitch and his ability to dictate the tempo of a game from a deep midfield position.
Having won one UEFA Champions League trophy and a Serie A title with the Italian maestro, Ukraine's all-time top goalscorer Shevchenko was so in awe of the midfielder that he once asked the Flero-born man if he even sweats while playing.
"As for (Andrea) Pirlo, well, he knew exactly how to find them. At the time I retired, Andrea was still playing at Juventus, and one day I asked him, 'Do you even sweat when you play?,'" the 2004 Ballon d'Or winner told The Athletic.
"He was young when we were teammates. Andrea used to run, but once he turned 30 he knew the game so well that he could walk and still do everything better than everybody else.
"He had the ability to read the moment, such a high football IQ," the Ukraine national team head coach added.
