Capítulo 574: The Genius of Pirlo
With only minutes left on the clock, Boca Juniors suffered yet another devastating blow. But from the sidelines, Bianchi refused to concede, ordering his players to surge forward in a desperate offensive push. Millwall, under immense pressure, retreated into a full defensive stance.
In the final five minutes, Millwall had two excellent chances to counterattack but failed to capitalize. One particularly glaring miss came when Villa, with the goalkeeper out of position, attempted a chip. The ball struck the crossbar and bounced out of play, leaving him clutching his head in disbelief.
As the final whistle blew, Millwall's coaching staff and substitutes rose from their seats. Unlike other championship celebrations, their reactions were relatively subdued. Aldrich approached Bianchi for a post-match handshake.
There was no conversation between them—just a brief handshake before parting ways.
The crowd cheered for Millwall. It was a momentous occasion—98 years after their first visit, Millwall returned to lift the Toyota Cup once more.
The Toyota Cup trophy itself had an unconventional design. It barely resembled a traditional cup and looked more like an abstract art piece meant for display.
With the trophy in hand, the players gathered for a commemorative photo. Henry was named Player of the Match, earning the right to drive away in a Toyota car.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo had become the center of attention for the sideline reporters. At such a young age, he had set the record as Millwall's youngest-ever player, breaking the record previously held by the team's indispensable playmaker, Pirlo. Adding to his achievement, Ronaldo scored in the final—a match against no ordinary opponent, but the champions of South America's club competitions.
Ronaldo seemed to bask in the spotlight. Holding the Toyota Cup trophy, he walked with a swagger as he made his way to the sideline. His family, accompanied by Millwall staff, had already been ushered to the sidelines. Once the stadium staff granted permission, Ronaldo and his family entered the field to take photos together.
After the family photo session, his siblings left him behind, darting off to seek autographs and pictures with other Millwall stars.
"Boss, take a picture with me," Ronaldo called out.
Aldrich, deep in conversation with Boas about the match, turned to find Ronaldo still holding the trophy. Smiling, Aldrich said, "Come over here, stand in the middle."
Ronaldo positioned himself between Aldrich and Boas. After the photo was taken, Ronaldo handed the trophy to Villa. Aldrich then pulled Villa in for another photo.
"If I'm not mistaken, your 19th birthday is coming up in a few days, right?" Aldrich asked.
Villa nodded. "Yeah, that's right."
Aldrich chuckled. "When we're back, come over to my place. I'll cook for you."
Villa smiled warmly. Since turning 18, he rarely visited Aldrich's home anymore. Growing older and gaining independence had expanded his world, yet the mutual trust between them remained unchanged.
After winning the Toyota Cup, Aldrich had little to say about this one-off event that lacked build-up or lasting significance. He offered a few words of praise for the team, kept things concise, and set off happily on the journey back home.
Back in England, Fleet Street reacted with little fanfare, merely publishing the usual match reports.
It wasn't surprising.
Europe's strongest vs. South America's strongest.
While South America produces a new champion every year, an undefeated European team with a 64-match streak? That's a rarity, maybe once in a decade.
During the Toyota Cup, the Premier League coincided with domestic cup matches, leading to a temporary league pause. Upon returning to London for a brief rest, Millwall received great news just before the Premier League's 17th round resumed.
Manchester United had visited London and ended up in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Charlton at The Valley.
Hosting Aston Villa at the Lion King Stadium, Millwall fielded their full-strength lineup. A resounding 5-2 victory extended their unbeaten streak to 65 matches and reduced the gap with Manchester United to just one point. As for the rare concession of two goals against a weaker team, Aldrich was unfazed in his post-match comments, attributing it to the absence of his key defensive midfielder and center-back due to suspension.
During this period, FIFA announced the winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award. Zidane claimed the honor, with Henry and Figo finishing second and third, respectively.
The Ballon d'Or was also on the horizon. While Millwall had not made significant efforts to lobby for their players, their record-breaking 65-match unbeaten run and the historic treble from last season spoke for themselves.
Fleet Street speculated that Millwall was likely to secure another Ballon d'Or for their club. However, Nedvěd's chances of retaining the title were slim due to his extended absence from the public eye after starting the season injured.
Nonetheless, Millwall had no shortage of strong contenders for the award.
Henry was the clear favorite. A treble winner, the top scorer in both the Champions League and the league, and a European Championship winner with France—if he won the Ballon d'Or, who could argue?
Larsson, Ronaldinho, and Pirlo were also among the top candidates.
Larsson, Ronaldinho, and Pirlo were among the hottest contenders.
In the eyes of Europe's mainstream football scene, there are always those who truly understand talent, especially among professional commentators. Pirlo, for example, was nominated for the Ballon d'Or two years in a row and played a crucial role in leading Millwall to an unprecedented treble. His importance and contributions were evident to many experts, who delved into analyzing Millwall, often singling out Pirlo as a focal point.
A decade later, UEFA released an official evaluation listing 20 individuals who changed world football. Among them were 19 players or coaches and one referee.
This list, carrying a distinctly European perspective, included only two South American players—figures like Pelé didn't even make the cut.
When asked about his personal contributions to modern football tactics, Aldrich often avoids the question. This is largely because his approach is less about groundbreaking innovation and more about synthesizing the wisdom of past pioneers and integrating the insights of the next generation into the game.
Take Hidegkuti as an example. He was Puskás's teammate in Hungary's Golden Team, but his tactical contributions arguably surpassed even Puskás. The concept of a deep-lying center forward reshaped the football landscape and drove Hungary to global dominance. Going further back, the roots of this transformation lie with his club coach, Márton Bukovi. While England is often credited as the inventor of the 4-4-2 formation, it was Bukovi who first theorized and implemented it. At the time, when piling forwards was the norm, his ideas were mocked. Yet today, his theory of disguising attacking threats is a core tenet of Aldrich's tactical blueprint.
Most players on that list represent the pinnacle of their positions—those who redefined what their roles could achieve. Players like Maldini, who brought elegance to defending, or Matthews, whose artistry as a winger set new standards.
Some, however, were included for their influence beyond football. Zidane, for example, as an Algerian-descended Frenchman, symbolized national unity. Then there was Maradona—a figure so transformative that his impact compelled both UEFA and FIFA to enforce stricter defensive rules to curb fouls. Opponents resorted to excessive and often ugly fouls, knowing there was no other way to contain his brilliance.
Yet only a select few fundamentally redefined their positions on the field. Beckenbauer, the father of the libero role, or Facchetti, the most influential attacking full-back.
A decade later, Neuer's exploits as a "sweeper-keeper" became a hot topic, but history had seen someone even bolder—La Dăncovici. As a goalkeeper, he once dribbled past three defenders in a match before being fouled just ten meters past the halfway line. That, too, happened in Germany. Was he mad? Perhaps. But he made UEFA's list, redefining what it meant to be a goalkeeper.
Another name on that list was from Italy—Pirlo.
Pirlo's inclusion wasn't purely due to his technical brilliance. If he had played as an attacking midfielder, there were countless players with superior skills. His genius lay in redefining the defensive midfield role.
Traditionally, football adhered to clear positional responsibilities. Strikers were judged by their goals, while defenders were tasked with stopping them. Midfielders existed to link the two. In the conventional mindset, attacking midfielders operated closer to the strikers, offering a direct threat. The logic seemed unassailable, much like England's long-ball tactics—deliver the ball directly to the most dangerous area for maximum effect.
Yet dense attacks invited equally dense defenses, often stifling space.
Pirlo's innovation wasn't about transitioning from attacking midfielder to defensive midfielder; it was about adopting a forward-thinking mindset from deeper on the pitch. This approach embodied the idea of "taking a step back to open up new horizons."
Some might argue that players like Keane, Vieira, Albertini, or Redondo also excelled in both attack and defense. However, their primary duty was unmistakably defensive. Players like Keane and Vieira were lauded for their ability to dominate defensively first, with offensive contributions being a bonus. Even for Redondo, a handful of spectacular passes didn't redefine his role.
During his four-plus seasons at Millwall, Pirlo focused almost exclusively on playmaking. Defense?
It was a secondary concern.
This shifted the traditional expectations of a defensive midfielder, as he used his passing ability to drive the team's attack rather than just breaking up opposition plays.
In the evolution of modern football, the deep-lying playmaker emerged as a crucial role in major clubs, ensuring smooth transitions and passing accuracy from the back. Pirlo was the trailblazer who laid the foundation for this tactical shift.
In his first two seasons, Pirlo's emergence left European football baffled. Analysts began studying Millwall's matches, trying to decipher his influence—how each pass altered the game's rhythm, how his short and long passes dictated the flow, and how his vision amplified the team's attacking threat.
By the time Pirlo became an undisputed starter, leading Millwall to countless championships, there was no longer any doubt about his importance. Fans and pundits alike recognized that under Aldrich's guidance, Pirlo had established a new template for midfielders.
Some critics even called for Pirlo to win the Ballon d'Or. While his goals and assists couldn't match the dazzling numbers of Millwall's formidable front three, his contributions might have been the most pivotal for the team's success.
Why?
Millwall had an abundance of strikers. But Pirlo? Who could ever replace him?
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