Pirlo Steps Down as Italy Coach Amid Backlash Over Fonbet

Andrea Pirlo has withdrawn from the race to become the head coach of the Italy national team amid a storm of controversy over his association with Fonbet, the Russian sportsbook. The decision follows intense political and public scrutiny over his role as a global ambassador for the company.

The fallout from Pirlo’s withdrawal has already seen Paolo Maldini, the technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), and his adviser, Leonardo, a Brazil World Cup winner, resign from their roles. Both had been vocal supporters of Pirlo’s candidacy.

Pirlo was considered the top choice to replace Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned in April after Italy’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. However, his partnership with Fonbet, announced in October, became a major stumbling block. Critics, including Carlo Calenda of the centrist Azione party, argued that Pirlo’s association with the company was politically untenable. “Anyone who is or has been promoting Russia after 2022 should not hold national office,” Calenda told Italian media.

Fonbet, established in 1994 by chess grandmaster Anatoly Machulsky, is widely regarded as Russia’s largest sportsbook, operating over 1,000 retail betting shops and a thriving online platform. The controversy intensified when Pirlo attended an event in Moscow last year alongside Shaman, a pro-Kremlin singer and outspoken supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, who has been sanctioned by the EU.

In an Instagram post on Monday (July 28), Pirlo addressed the controversy head-on. “In recent days, I have witnessed with great bitterness the debate that has developed around my name and the possibility of serving as Head Coach of the Italian national team,” he wrote. He clarified that his deal with Fonbet was initiated during his tenure coaching Dubai United in the UAE, stating it was “exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature.”

With Pirlo’s candidacy now off the table, attention has shifted to Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to victory in the UEFA European Championship in 2021, as the likely successor.