Pirlo out of Italy football top job after backlash over Russian betting firm links
Pirlo withdraws from consideration
Andrea Pirlo has stated he is no longer a candidate for the Italian national team head coach position. This decision follows controversy surrounding his connections to a Russian betting company, Fonbet. Although his appointment had not been officially confirmed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), it was widely anticipated.
Over the weekend, several Italian politicians voiced criticism regarding the FIGC’s potential choice, highlighting Pirlo’s role as a global ambassador for Fonbet since last October. Carlo Calenda of the centrist Azione party commented that individuals promoting Russia after 2022 should not hold national office.
Pirlo addressed the situation in an Instagram post on Monday morning, noting his removal as a candidate. He expressed bitterness over the debate surrounding his name, clarifying that any professional collaboration undertaken in his capacity as coach for United FC in Dubai was “exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature.” He added that attributing a political meaning to this collaboration implied beliefs he has never expressed and that do not belong to him.
The Russian ambassador in Rome, Aleksey Paramonov, offered support to Pirlo, stating it was “saddening” that despite his contributions to sport and Italy’s image, he was being ostracized in his own country.
FIGC faces further upheaval
The controversy extended beyond Pirlo, as reports emerged from Sky Sport Italia that Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, two senior figures within the FIGC, had decided to resign. Maldini had been appointed FIGC technical director just over two weeks prior. He and Leonardo, his adviser and former AC Milan teammate, were tasked with finding a new head coach and rebuilding the team after three consecutive failures to qualify for the World Cup.
Maldini and Leonardo reportedly quit just 16 days after their official appointment. It was decided on Sunday that discussions with Pirlo, who was their preferred choice for head coach, would not proceed due to concerns over his links to the Russian gambling firm.
The Italian football community has been undergoing a period of self-reflection after the team’s failure to qualify for a third World Cup earlier this year. Italy’s loss on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina in April led to coach Gennaro Gattuso stepping down and a reshuffle within the FIGC.
Previous candidates and future considerations
Before Pirlo, both Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti were unsuccessfully approached for the coaching role. Guardiola reportedly rejected the proposal for personal reasons, despite the FIGC’s vision for him to be a central figure in an ‘Azzurro project’ aimed at rebuilding Italian football. Ancelotti, who has a contract with the Brazil national team, was also contacted.
According to Italian media, other names currently being considered for the head coach position include Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini. Mancini led Italy to Euro 2020 glory before the team failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar and he subsequently stepped down to coach Saudi Arabia. Conte coached Italy to the quarter-finals of the 2016 European Championship and was most recently at Napoli. Another option mentioned is former Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi, who is currently coaching in the Saudi league.
Whoever is ultimately hired will become Italy’s fourth coach in as many years. Italy is scheduled to play in September and October, facing Belgium, Turkey, and France in the Nations League.
Source: bbc.com
