Del Piero inducted in Laureus World Sports Academy

Del Piero was inducted as the 56th Laureus Academy Member during a visit to the Tony Hawk Foundation in San Diego.

A 2004 file photo of former Juventus and Italy footballer Alessandro Del Piero.

Italian football great Alessandro Del Piero has become the newest member of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

Del Piero was inducted as the 56th Laureus Academy Member during a visit to the Tony Hawk Foundation in San Diego.

Alessandro Del Piero, our newest Laureus Academy Member, has a little message for everyone! >pic.twitter.com/NGA9OGfrVJ

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) >March 15, 2016

“I am grateful to the members of the Laureus Academy for asking me to join them. It is a great honour,” Del Piero said in a press release.

One of the greatest footballers Del Piero played 91 matches for the Italian national team between 1995 and 2008, scoring 27 goals.

He played in three FIFA World Cup finals — 1998, 2002 and 2006 — and four UEFA European Championships — 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008.

His greatest moment for Italy was the 2006 World Cup where he scored the second goal in a 2-0 semi-final win over host Germany.

In the final against France, which ended 1-1 after extra time, Del Piero scored a penalty in the shoot-out as Italy won the tournament for the fourth time.