Andrea Pirlo’s son aiming to add a touch of class to soccer shirts

Andrea Pirlo oozed class on the field during a stellar career at the top of the European game and now his son, Nicoló, is hoping to make his own mark off the field.

Nicoló has launched the brand ‘22′, where the young Italian will design soccer shirts.

Journalist and compatriot Fabrizio Romano announced the arrival of the brand on Instagram, where fans discovered another “Here we go”, however, this time it wasn’t an unexpected transfer.

Pirlo the father and role model

“Hi Dad, today my brand was launched with a name that is also a dedication. For years I shouted your name from the stands of the biggest stadiums as you conquered the world of football with the number 21 on your shoulders. Picking up your legacy is the most ambitious challenge of my life. I changed leagues, but you are still my role model, both at home and away. Today starts my most important game and I chose to play it with the number 22 on my shoulders,” the 20-year-old wrote on his Instagram account.

Nicoló spoke about his new venture in an interview with Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport. “I was inspired by the 1990-92 Manchester United away shirt,” he explained. “I’ve had a passion for shirts ever since I was a kid. I have the ones my father used to wear. I have a Cristiano Ronaldo one and I have Neymar’s shirt. Alessandro Matri often came to my house, so I have all his shirts.”

The pressure of having the name Pirlo

He added: “Playing was not easy. My dream was to be a footballer but I grew up with a lot of pressure as the expectations were high. I tried to play as long as I could but I wasn’t prepared mentally. After I stopped, I realized that this was my path.”