Pirlo was drafted in to replace Maurizio Sarri on Saturday after Juventus were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Olympique Lyon at the round of 16 stage a day earlier.
The 41-year-old’s appointment came barely a week after he had been tasked to manage Juventus’ under-23 side.
Zola, who served as assistant to Sarri during the former Napoli manager’s solitary season in charge of Chelsea during the 2018/2019 campaign, says he was surprised by his old boss’ replacement.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by this,” Zola told Sky Sports Italia of Pirlo’s appointment.
"It's fascinating and if the project works, it'll go down as a huge success story for the club. It's not an easy job, though, as Juventus are asking to win in a certain way.
"This is a courageous move from the club and based on the quality of the man, but Pirlo will need their support going forward. It's not simple, but I do think he can have real success."
Pirlo won four Serie A titles as a player with Juventus and also turned out for the likes of Brescia, Inter Milan and AC Milan, where he won two Serie A trophies and two UEFA Champions League titles.
