Andrea Pirlo, one of the names expected to take over the Italy national team, was eliminated from the candidacy process due to his connection with Russian betting company Fonbet. The former footballer announced the situation on his social media account.
Pirlo, the 2006 World Cup champion, was one of the coaches on the agenda to replace Gennaro Gattuso after Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti turned down the offer. However, his role as a global ambassador for the Russia-based company Fonbet drew backlash from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and some parliamentarians.
Pirlo's ambassadorship agreement, signed in October, drew further attention when he attended a Fonbet event at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium with former teammate Marco Materazzi, while Russia's military operations in Ukraine continued.
Pirlo: "My sporting choice was politicized"
Andrea Pirlo said in a statement on his Instagram account on Sunday that he was informed he had not been nominated. Pirlo, who said he preferred to remain silent in the face of intense criticism, stated:
"I have followed with great pain the discussions in recent days surrounding my name and the possibility of the Italy national team head coach position. Out of respect for the institutions, the federation and everyone involved, I have remained silent until now. However, I feel the need to clarify some points."
Emphasizing that he has complied with the laws of the countries where he has worked throughout his career, Pirlo said that his partnership with Fonbet was entirely commercial and sporting, within the scope of his career in the United Arab Emirates.
"The politicization of this partnership means that views I have never expressed and that do not belong to me are being pinned on me. I thank Maldini and Leonardo for the respect and trust they have shown."
Expressing his sadness that a sporting choice has turned into a public debate, Pirlo said, "My love for Italy is not tied to a position; this love is part of my history and my identity and will always remain with me."
Andrea Pirlo, who currently manages Dubai United FC in the United Arab Emirates, played for Milan and Juventus during his playing career.
Paolo Maldini, the person responsible for the coach selection at the Italian Football Federation, will determine Italy's new coach for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, after Italy failed to qualify for the last three World Cups.
