Italian football great Andrea Pirlo has been named as the new manager of UAE second-tier side United FC.
The former AC Milan and Juventus midfielder has signed a two-year deal with the club, also known as Dubai United, who play in the UAE First Division League, one tier below the country's top-flight Pro League.
It will be a fourth managerial role for Pirlo, 46, who has also had spells in charge of Juventus, Fatih Karagumruk in Turkey and most recently, Sampdoria.
"Pirlo brings with him a unique footballing vision and valuable coaching experience from spells at Juventus and Sampdoria," the club, who finished fourth last season, said in a statement.
“His arrival marks an exciting new chapter for United FC and reflects the club's growing ambition in the UAE football landscape.”
Club President Ilie Cebanu said: “We are proud to welcome Andrea to the United FC family. He embodies the values and ambitions of our club, and we believe he will be a key figure in taking us to the next level.”
As a player, Pirlo is widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation known for his effortless control, calmness in possession and pinpoint passing ability.
Pirlo's 26 goals from free-kicks in Serie A is second only to Serbian defender Sinisa Mihajlovic in the all-time Italian top-flight list.
He started his playing career at Brescia before joining Inter Milan in 1998 where he spent three seasons – which included spells out on loan with Reggina and back in Brescia – before moving to the AC Mila where he would play 400 games, scoring 41 goals and provide 71 assists.
It was at the San Siro's other club that Pirlo would establish as one of the world's finest over the next nine-and-half seasons that would see the Rossoneri win two Uefa Champions Leagues, Uefa Super Cups and Serie A crowns, as well as on Fifa Club World Cup and one Coppa Italia.
The silverware kept on coming after moving to Juventus in the summer of 2011 as Pirlo lifted the Serie A title in all of his four seasons with The Old Lady, as well as winning the Supercoppa Italia twice and the Coppa Italia.
He would make 164 appearances for Juve, scoring 19 goals and assisting a further 38 before spending the twilight of his playing career in the MLS with New York City FC.
For the national team, would play 113 games, scoring 13 and assisting 25, scoring in the 2006 World Cup final shoot-win over France that would see Italy crowned world champions for the first time in 24 years.
Pirlo's coaching career has failed to hit the heights of his playing one, despite replacing the sacked Maurizio Sarri as Juventus manager in August 2020 just one week after being put in charge of the Under-23 side.
“The decision for Pirlo was very natural, in the Juventus style, because he is someone who played for us, has always been in contact with everyone here and it felt natural,” said Juventus' chief football officer Fabio Paratici after the 41-year-old's appointment.
“We also believe he is predestined for greatness. He was as a player and we are confident he can do the same as a coach.”
But despite tasking charge of a side looking to make it 10 successive Serie A titles for Juve – and having the likes of Leo Bonucci, Dejan Kulusevski and Cristiano Ronaldo in his squad – Pirlo's reign lasted just one season.
They finished fourth in Serie A and were knocked out in the Champions League last-16 for a second successive season – beating Atalanta to win the Coppa Italia was not enough to save Pirlo and he was sacked the same month.
“It's been an intense, complicated year but still wonderful. When I got the call from Juventus, I never thought about the risk I was taking,” Pirlo said, who was replaced by former Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“This adventure, despite an unexpected ending, made it even clearer what I would like my future to be, which I hope will be just as complete and fulfilling as the one I experienced as a player.”
His next managerial job arrived in the summer of 2022 was appointed as manager of Turkish club Fatih Karagumruk but was again sacked after less than a year with the team ninth in the Super Lig table.
A month later, and he was back in Italy, this time taking over at Sampdoria, who had just been relegated to Serie B.
The team finished seventh in his first campaign but Pirlo lasted just three games in the second after securing just a single point leaving with Sampdoria 19th in the table.
Pirlo's first game of the new UAE First Division League season sees United FC travel to the outskirts of Sharjah to take on Al Dhaid on September 20.
