Veteran Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo has joined Major League Soccer franchise New York City Football Club on a free transfer.
The 36-year-old won six Serie A titles with AC Milan and Juventus, two Champions Leagues with Milan and the World Cup with Italy in 2006.
Juventus have agreed to end his contract a year early so he can move to the US on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
His new team-mates in New York include ex-Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard and Spain striker David Villa.
“What a signing! Welcome to the club Andrea Pirlo!” wrote Lampard on Facebook.
Juventus have confirmed that midfielder Andrea Pirlo has completed a move to New York City FC.
OFFICIAL: @Pirlo_official will continue his career with @NYCFC following four years at Juve: http://t.co/zcXb9HPUO3 pic.twitter.com/JSsdnlZqwu
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) July 6, 2015
With a tribute on their website, Juventus thanked the 36-year-old for four seasons in Turin, in which he won four successive Serie A titles.
New York City FC also confirmed the signing on their official website, outlining they are “delighted” to have Pirlo as part of their squad.
#NYCFC signs @Pirlo_official: http://t.co/h12SmW2MQI #WelcomePirlo pic.twitter.com/T2kCqkGviL
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) July 6, 2015
Pirlo said: “I have been wanting this experience for a long time and now that the opportunity materialized I wanted to take it. This is a club on the rise and shares my same hunger to achieve important results in the league. I am hoping to win.
“I had several opportunities to play outside of Italy, but I never had a doubt in picking New York for the enthusiasm of the people that come watch the team.
“I met with the coach, Jason Kreis, and he gave me a fantastic impression of the club. He has well defined ideas in mind, and I am sure we will get on well and create a good relationship to train well and try to win together.”
Grazie, Maestro. http://t.co/I31LR93SjF #WeAreImpressed pic.twitter.com/JwXz4uAskq
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) July 6, 2015
“Thanks, Maestro,” a tribute on Juventus’ official website read. “This tribute — a homage — to Andrea Pirlo at the end of his adventure with the Bianconeri could only start with those two words. Thanks for all you have shown, lived and won in these four years.
“‘Maestro,’ because of all the nicknames, that was always the one we liked the most. His teammates called him ‘the professor,’ and actually, for them, proven champions, finding themselves alongside Andrea was like following a master class.
“For those who are not professional footballers, though, understanding the refined simplicity of his game was a continuous revelation, like discovering the actual essence of football. This is why, for us, ‘maestro’ is more suitable. It is also the name given to artists, be they painters, film directors or orchestral directors.
“Pirlo is all of these on the field: silent charisma, ball control, the dummy which floors one, two or three opponents in one go. The unexpected game-opening pass, the ball lifted over the defence.
“The brain with a perpetual engine, when the play is still far from him. A glance to the right, one to the centre and one to the left, to keep an eye on all of his teammates and opponents. To know before anybody else what will happen. It’s not presage, it’s not intuition. It’s pure and simple intelligence.”
Pirlo joined Juve on a free transfer from AC Milan and made 164 appearances for the Turin club, scoring 19 goals. In addition to the four league titles he won in Piedmont, he lifted the Coppa Italia with them last May.
The midfielder posted an emotional message to Juve on his Twitter account.
GRAZIE!!! pic.twitter.com/yuKLxsyYbo
— Andrea Pirlo (@Pirlo_official) July 6, 2015
“It can be difficult to express emotions in words, particularly when it involves four so important years of my life,” he said.
“All I can say is a huge THANK YOU to everybody who has accompanied me and supported me through this adventure: Juventus FC, starting with the president, without forgetting every single person who works there; my teammates of many battles, of many smiles and some tears; the fans and all those who have always followed me affectionately, even in those moments that were not so nice.
“Heartfelt thanks to all of you. It was not easy to decide, but the moment has come to start a new adventure which, however, will never make me forget the bond I have with these colours. To the very end, FORZA JUVENTUS.”
Major League Soccer has now superstars like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Villa, Kaka and Andrea Pirlo and the popularity of the League will grow more with the arrival of these legends.