Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo was proud of his performance in Italy's 2-1 win over Mexico for their Confederations Cup opener.

The crowd at the Maracanà was chanting Pirlo's name before he took the decisive free kick, so does he feel a bit Brazilian?

"I don't know that. I feel Italian and was fortunate enough to grow up playing in Italy. Of course it is pleasing to be compared to Brazilian champions. They already started calling me Pirlinho!

"The thing I liked more than anything in the game was my pass for Ignazio Abate down the left when Mario Balotelli nearly scored.

"I feel important for my teams, but terms like world class and champion aren't up to me and I'd never use them for myself."