Pirlo's successors are quite numerous, and at the time, everyone was looking for someone to fill his shoes. The desired candidates were Montolivo, Verratti, Marchisio, and Tonali, among whom Tonali was considered the most similar to Pirlo. When he first started playing for Brescia, not only did his playing style resemble Pirlo's, but his appearance did as well, making him a living embodiment of Pirlo.
If you didn't look at his face and just watched his long hair fluttering as he ran, you might really think it was Pirlo reborn, with that unmistakable flavor.
However, after a few years, when we look back at their performances, we find that they are still far from Pirlo. Not only is their playing style becoming less and less like his, but their approach on the field has also become ferociously aggressive.
Tonali is seen as a technical Gattuso, while Montolivo is known as "Wen Yi Meng" and is remembered by many as a prodigy in the CM0304 football manager game, alongside Cerci, Pazzini, and others. He still leans towards a softer style and cannot achieve Pirlo's balanced offensive and defensive state.
Verratti and Marchisio don't need to be mentioned; their performances and styles on the field are not like Pirlo's either. They are more akin to deep-lying midfielders or defensive central midfielders, which naturally differs from Pirlo's core playstyle.
At the core, the most fundamental reason is the lack of a strategic vision and mindset. These players do not possess Pirlo's ability to control the rhythm of the game, that masterful orchestration and command of the team's offensive and defensive tempo.
Modern football also places great emphasis on teamwork. If you don't have the ability to control the whole game, then you need to contribute to both ends of the attack and defense, with a bit of Gattuso's fighting spirit, to engage in tackles and interceptions.
What level of player was Pirlo?
At his peak, Pirlo was an artist on the field, a genius who knew how to construct the whole picture and create. Once he had the ball, you could feel his composure; every pass, every touch, and every dribble was purposeful in seeking a breakthrough in the offense.
Moreover, Pirlo's strategic vision and ability to oversee the entire team were very strong. Once he had the ball, it was hard for him to lose it, and his ability to combine man and ball was unparalleled.
Only contemporary masters like Modric, Kroos, Xavi, and Iniesta could match him; others would fall significantly short.
This kind of ability isn't something that can be trained alone; it's also closely related to the player's temperament and mindset.
Tonali and the others fall short of this state, lacking the wisdom, composure, and free-spiritedness that characterizes their current skills.
It's challenging, but overall, they're still a bit behind. It's very difficult to reach Pirlo's level.
But to answer the question, do they have a chance to get closer to Pirlo? The answer is yes. Especially Tonali, I'm actually quite looking forward to him returning to his youthful Brescia playing style as he gets older.
With increased experience and knowledge from matches, I believe that Tonali at that stage should become more mature and seasoned, with actions that will draw closer to the style of his predecessors.
When young, it's imitation, which doesn't amount to surpassing; but as one grows older, there might be hope. Knowing how to play the ball can help understand the rationality of Pirlo's approach back then.
If you don't quite understand, watch more of the 2010 World Cup match between Italy and Slovakia. See the starkly different performances of Italy in the first and second halves and how Pirlo changed Italy's style after coming on. Understanding this match will reveal where Pirlo's greatness truly lies.