Andrea Pirlo has never been the fastest guy to step foot on a soccer field. Nor the strongest. And in the second half of his career at 37, certainly not the youngest. Yet, almost improbably, he’s solidified himself as a living legend of the sport, thanks in large part to his genius-level vision on the pitch and an unwavering confidence that has led to moments like this.
Yo, Andrea, what makes you the best player* in the universe? Is it the vicious set pieces? Is it the hair? Is it the copious amounts of pasta and wine? It’s gotta be the pasta and wine, right?
*Well, one of the best players over the age of 35, at least.
GQ: You’ve been a professional soccer player for more than two decades now and still going strong now in MLS. Has there been any major changes to your diet during that time, or do you actually possess a special anti-aging serum?
Andrea Pirlo: I changed my diet the moment I understood that my metabolism was changing. Until I was 30 years old, my body was used to my routine of eating pasta every single day. Nowadays I eat it just the day of a match.
Really? Before every single match?
I have my routine. Before every match I eat pasta with tomato and chicken breast a few hours beforehand. In the hottest months, I choose to drink an energy drink before the match, too, but normally I drink just water. I decided to bring my Italian habits here to the U.S.
I was going to ask you if your diet saw any changes after you signed with NYCFC and making the move to Manhattan.
I wasn’t forced to do any big adjustment. It’s Manhattan, I don’t have any problem finding places to eat that are on a high-level quality. Like I said, I decided to maintain my Italian routine in terms of get because the Italian lifestyle has always worked for me.
Dining and Cooking