Pirlo dismisses Ballon d'Or claims
Reuters - Tuesday 26 June 2012, 17:01
Andrea Pirlo, exalted by
the football world for his exploits at Euro 2012, does not
believe he should win the FIFA Ballon d'Or this year because he
does not score enough goals.
The 33-year-old, whose Italy side face Germany in Thursday's
semi-final, has never been a regular scorer from his deep-lying
midfield role but wowed the tournament with his chipped penalty
in the last-eight shootout win over England.
Asked if he thought he deserved to be named the World Player
of the Year having also guided new side Juventus to the Serie A
title in May, the 2006 World Cup winner was categoric.
"No, there is [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo. It's
almost impossible to be in front of them," he told a news
conference that included journalists from as far afield as the
United States and China.
"They score lots of goals. I don't think it is under
discussion."
Whatever modest Pirlo says, creative players like him are
generally outshining strikers at the tournament and the Italy
man warned his team mates of the threat posed by another
midfielder in good form - Mesut Ozil.
"There are lots of good Germany players but Ozil is crucial
for their game," he said, fearing the extra preparation time
Germany and Ozil have had for the Warsaw clash could be a
factor.
"Two days less is a lot in an important phase of a
championship. It would have been better to have it more
balanced."
Nevertheless, Pirlo thinks Italy will trouble Joachim Low's
side, who have never beaten the Azzurri in a World Cup or Euros
and lost to them in the 2006 semi-final on home soil.
"Germany for sure will be scared of us," he said, reckoning
the Italy midfield is "more or less at the same level" as
Spain's engine room.
"I'm curious to play in this important game. I'm almost at
the end of my career and these emotions might not happen again."