Andrea Pirlo, the 2006 World Cup winner, has been dismissed as coach of Italian Serie B club Sampdoria Genoa following a poor start to the season.
Pirlo, who took over the role in June, was removed from his position just two days after Sampdoria’s 2-3 (2-1) defeat to US Salernitana. Under Pirlo’s leadership, the team managed to secure only one point from their first three games.
“The club thanks the coach and his staff—Roberto Baronio, Mauro Bertoni, Nicola Pavarini, and Raffaele Clemente—for their commitment and professionalism during their time with the team,” the club stated on Thursday.
This was Pirlo’s third coaching role. He was dismissed from Juventus Turin after just one season in 2021. After a year off, he began a stint with Turkish side Fatih Karagümrük, but stepped down three matches before the end of the season. The World Cup winner then took over at Sampdoria, which finished the previous season in seventh place.
Andrea Pirlo is an Italian football legend. When he was a player, he was celebrated for his exceptional vision, technique, and playmaking abilities. He began his professional career at Brescia before moving to Inter Milan, and later found immense success at AC Milan, where he won two Serie A titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. Pirlo then joined Juventus, securing four consecutive Serie A titles. Internationally, he earned 116 caps for Italy, playing a pivotal role in their 2006 World Cup victory. Pirlo concluded his playing career with New York City FC in Major League Soccer, retiring in 2017.
