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Andrea Pirlo’s candidacy to become the head coach for Italy’s national football team has been called off after concerns arose over his ties to one of Russia’s biggest betting companies, Fonbet.
After the latest debates over Italy not qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was working to restructure the sports industry and management, with technical director Paolo Maldini considering the candidacy of former AC Milan player Andrea Pirlo. However, FIGC president Giovanni Malagó denied the appointment after conducting a closer assessment of Pirlo’s documents.
Pirlo addressed the criticism in an Instagram post:
“After learning last night that I am no longer a candidate for the Italian national team, I feel it is my duty to clarify some aspects. Over the last few days I watched, with great bitterness, the debate that swirled around my name. To assign a political meaning to that collaboration means ascribing to me beliefs which I have never expressed and that do not belong to me.”
Despite Pirlo’s response, opposition members argued that he held connections with a pro-Russian company, with backlash further intensifying after Pirlo’s visit to Moscow in May 2026 to attend the Russian Cup.
Carlo Calenda, an opposition senator, stated:
“Anyone who is or has been promoting Russia after 2022 should not hold national office.”
Major sports clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain previously had partnerships with Fonbet, but chose to terminate the deal in 2022 after the Russia-Ukraine war began.
With Pirlo’s nomination now cancelled, the FIGC is considering names such as Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini to coach the national team.
