Elia looks back on Pirlo’s brilliance: ‘Relax, I’ll find you’

In 2011, Eljero Elia arrived at one of the biggest clubs in world football: Juventus.

The Dutch winger, then 24 years old, had completed his move from Hamburg to Turin and was stepping into a dressing room filled with footballing royalty. It was a moment that could intimidate any player but what stood out to Elia was the warmth with which he was welcomed.

He recalled his first day in the Dave & Drenthe podcast, painting a vivid picture of his introduction to La Vecchia Signora. “I walked into the dressing room, and all the guys were really friendly,” Elia said. One of the first figures to greet him was none other than Gianluigi Buffon, the iconic goalkeeper and club captain, who immediately set the tone. “Gigi was sitting right at the entrance, and the moment I came in, he said: ‘You are very welcome here. If you ever need anything, come to me. I’ll be like your football father.’”

For a player entering such a legendary environment, having Buffon a figure with World Cup and countless Serie A titles to his name offering that kind of support was priceless. It was the first indication that Juventus, despite its global stature, still had a strong family atmosphere within its walls.

What Elia couldn’t have imagined was that his spot in the dressing room would place him in truly elite company. “First, Alessandro Del Piero sat down next to me,” he recalled. Del Piero, a Juventus icon and arguably the club’s most beloved player, was the kind of legend young players could only dream of sharing a locker room with. Out of respect, Elia instinctively addressed him as “Mister.” But Del Piero immediately disarmed the Dutchman with his humility. “You don’t have to call me Mister just call me Ale,” the Italian smiled.

If that wasn’t surreal enough for Elia, what came next elevated the experience to another level. “Then Andrea Pirlo sat down on my other side.” Suddenly, the Dutch winger found himself sandwiched between two footballing immortals one a symbol of Juventus itself, the other a genius whose elegance redefined the art of midfield play.

It was Pirlo, in particular, who left the deepest impression on Elia. “He was definitely the player who impressed me the most,” Elia admitted. Having already played against top players across Europe, the Dutchman thought he knew what quality looked like. But training with Pirlo was something else entirely. “His first touch, his passing, the way he always knew exactly where everyone was on the pitch… It was like he had eyes in the back of his head.”

Elia would sometimes try to press Pirlo in training, thinking he could close him down quickly. But it was futile. “He would just spin away like it was nothing, as if you weren’t even there. Or he’d be looking to the left, making you think he was going to pass there then he’d effortlessly hit a no-look pass to the right, perfectly placed.” It was football at a level Elia hadn’t witnessed before.

One moment in particular has stayed with him forever. During a winter training camp in Dubai, the squad was playing a practice match. Elia found himself in space and wanted the ball badly. “I was screaming like a madman: ‘Pirlo! Pirlo! Pirlo!’” he laughed. The Dutchman thought volume was the best way to get the legendary playmaker’s attention.

But Pirlo turned to him, completely unfazed, and calmly said: “Why are you shouting my name? Relax. I can see you.” Seconds later, Pirlo delivered one of his trademark passes perfectly weighted, effortlessly precise landing right at Elia’s feet. The Dutchman scored, completing the move. As Elia celebrated, Pirlo simply gave him a knowing smile and said: “See? Told you.”

It was a small moment, but it encapsulated everything about Pirlo’s genius. His calmness under pressure, his ability to see the game two or three steps ahead, his technical mastery it was all there in that single pass. For Elia, it was both humbling and inspiring. “That’s when I realized just how different certain players are,” he admitted.

Elia’s time at Juventus was short he made only a handful of appearances before moving on but the memories he gathered during that year are priceless. Sharing a dressing room with icons like Buffon, Del Piero, and Pirlo gave him insights into the standards of greatness that few players ever get to witness firsthand.

What stood out most wasn’t just their ability on the pitch, but also the way they carried themselves off it the quiet leadership of Buffon, the humility of Del Piero, and the serene genius of Pirlo. For Elia, those lessons would stay with him long after his time in Turin came to an end.

This story, told in the Dave & Drenthe podcast, is a rare glimpse behind the scenes at one of football’s most storied clubs and a reminder of why players like Andrea Pirlo are remembered not just for what they did, but how they made others feel when they played alongside them.