He thinks therefore he plays

It's not exactly a secret that footballers enjoy playing the odd video game every now and again – after all, there's no better way of avenging a real-life defeat than winning a game of FIFA 13 on the PlayStation Network.

There is one player who seems to enjoy booting up his PlayStation more than any others, though – Andrea Pirlo.

In his new biography Penso Quindi Gioco the former AC Milan and current Juventus playmaker revealed just how much he adores Sony's console: "After the wheel, the best invention is the PlayStation," he wrote.

The Italian icon explained how the PlayStation became part of his daily training regime when he was playing his football in Milan, and that he and close friend Alessandro Nesta would battle it out whenever they had any free time:

Me and Nesta was a classico of our time at Milanello. We’d get in early, have breakfast at nine then close ourselves off in our room to challenge each other, train, have lunch, and then it was back in our room again until four in the afternoon.

Our battles were pure adrenaline. I chose Barcelona, Sandrino did too. Barca against Barca.

The first player I’d take was Samuel Eto’o, the fastest out of everyone, though I often lost. I’d throw the controller, demand a rematch and lose again, but I couldn’t use the excuse that the coach of his team was better than mine; Pep Guardiola for him, Pep Guardiola for me.

At least on the bench we were equal.

It seems that although Pirlo is a magician on the pitch, he is not such a wizard on the PlayStation. But hey, it's the taking part that counts, right?

Have any of you come across the footballing legend while playing online? Let us know in the comments section below.

[source espnfc.com]