SOCCER: Pirlo faces resistance for Italy coach job over Russian betting ties

ROME – Andrea Pirlo’s potential appointment as Italy’s national football team coach is facing growing political opposition due to his commercial ties with Russian betting company Fonbet.

The 47-year-old World Cup-winning midfielder had been considered the leading candidate to replace Gennaro Gattuso after former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly declined the role.

However, officials within the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and several Italian lawmakers have raised concerns over Pirlo’s role as a global ambassador for Fonbet, a Russian bookmaker.

The FIGC declined to comment on the matter, but a source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Pirlo’s connection to the betting company is still under review and that no final decision has been made.

Pirlo, who currently manages United FC in the United Arab Emirates Pro League, signed an ambassador agreement with Fonbet in October. The issue gained more attention after he appeared with former Italy teammate Marco Materazzi at an event organized by the bookmaker at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

The appearance drew criticism because it took place during continued Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine.

Pirlo defended his involvement, saying the partnership was strictly commercial and unrelated to politics.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Pirlo said the collaboration was part of his professional work in the United Arab Emirates and was solely commercial and sports-related. He added that assigning political meaning to the partnership misrepresented his beliefs and intentions, expressing disappointment that a sporting matter had become part of a political debate.

The controversy comes at a challenging time for new FIGC president Giovanni Malago, who recently took charge of efforts to rebuild Italian football after the national team failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a third straight time.

Despite Pirlo reportedly receiving support from newly appointed FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini, the issue has sparked criticism from politicians who argue that someone with business ties to a Russian gambling company should not lead Italy’s national team.

Pina Picierno, a vice president of the European Parliament, said on social media that Italian football needed cultural, ethical, and managerial reform after another disappointing World Cup campaign, adding that Pirlo’s possible appointment would move the sport in the opposite direction.

Italian media have also reported that Maldini, who was tasked with selecting the national team’s next coach, could reconsider his own position if Pirlo’s candidacy is rejected.

Ignazio La Russa, president of the Italian Senate and a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, also questioned the possible appointment. While acknowledging Pirlo’s achievements as a player, he said naming him as Italy’s head coach would be a significant gamble because of his limited managerial experience.

Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, was more critical, saying that anyone who has promoted Russia since 2022 should not hold a national position.

The debate over Pirlo’s candidacy continues as the FIGC weighs both the political and sporting implications of appointing one of Italy’s greatest footballers to lead the national team. -Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, Alvise Armellini in Rome, with additional reporting by Elvira Pollina and Suramya Kaushik; Editing by Clare Fallon and Stephen Coates/Reuters