On Friday, Pirlo's season-long reign as Juventus' manager was brought to an end after the club announced it had parted ways with the 42-year-old following the conclusion of the Serie A campaign.
The former Italy international won the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup titles during his spell in Turin, but ultimately paid the price for his side's failure to win the league title for the first time in nearly a decade.
Just hours after Pirlo's dismissal, former Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri was reappointed as his successor, but the 2006 FIFA World Cup winner leaves the Turin-based side on good terms despite the brevity of his time in charge.
This was perhaps best evidenced by the reaction of star player and 2020/21 Serie A Golden Boot winner Ronaldo, who was quick to pay tribute to his former boss following news of the change in management at Juventus.
"Thank you, maestro. It has been an honour to be under your orders," Ronaldo shared in an Instagram story over the weekend, accompanied by an applause emoji.
Ronaldo was the second most-used player by Pirlo during his time at the helm, second only to Brazilian defender Danilo, and scored 36 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions under the Italian's guidance.
