Andrea Pirlo criticised Divock Origi for his performance in Liverpool’s Champions League final win over Tottenham.
The Belgium striker replaced Roberto Firmino in the 58th minute and scored the Reds’ second goal to secure a sixth European title on Saturday.
But before sealing the result for his side, the 24-year-old was guilty of giving the ball away too often and wasted numerous counter-attacks.
Origi has become a cult hero at Anfield since his brace in a 4-0 win over Barcelona in the semi-finals helped overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg.
Pirlo, who won two Champions League trophies during a hugely successful career with AC Milan and Juventus, said Origi’s team-mates should have given him a ‘kicking’ if he failed to score.
Working as a pundit for Sky Sport Italia, he said: “Divock Origi was awful.
“He came on in such an important game with that attitude.
“If he hadn’t scored, they should’ve given him a kicking.”
Origi has played second fiddle to Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane this season, but has scored important goals when called upon.
He told talkSPORT: “It’s unbelievable winning the Champions League, we fought hard and we did it.
“I’ve been getting more and more minutes and I’ve tried to use them in a good way and always put the team first.
“Tonight we did it as a team, a wonderful team. It’s special.
“As a child in football you want to win this trophy, so to be able to get so close to it and kiss it, knowing that you’ve won it, it’s unbelievable.”