Andrea Pirlo, 47, a legendary midfielder for Inter, Juventus, AC Milan and the Azzurri, announced he would no longer pursue coaching the Italian national side after a surge of criticism over his role as a global ambassador for Russian betting firm Fonbet.
The choice of Pirlo had been treated as de facto by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), but as the weekend unfolded political backlash grew. Several Italian lawmakers, most notably Carlo Calenda of the centrist Azione party, called for any figure promoting Russia after 2022 to be excluded from the job.
Pirlo’s Instagram post said the “professional collaboration” he held with Fonbet and UAE‑based United FC was strictly commercial and sporting, and that tying it to politics would misrepresent his views.
The controversy also shines a spotlight on the FIGC’s new technical director, Paolo Maldini, who has only been in office since 11 July and may face pressure to step down if he cannot resolve the turmoil surrounding Pirlo’s potential appointment.
The debate follows Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup last year, in which the team was eliminated by Bosnia‑Herzegovina on penalties. Other high‑profile names, including Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, are reportedly still on the list.
