Andrea Pirlo has said he is no longer a candidate to coach the Italian national side following days of controversy over his ties to a Russian betting company. His appointment as Italy's next head coach had not been confirmed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) yet was being treated as all but certain.
However, as Pirlo closed in on the job, the 47-year-old’s commercial ties to a Russian betting company came to the fore, with senior figures in the organisation, plus Italian parliamentarians, expressing their concerns. Pirlo’s potential appointment has now been called off, with FIGC president Giovanni Malago pulling the plug on the deal at the 11th hour, before the former Italy skipper confirmed on Sunday evening that he is no longer in the running for the role in a lengthy statement on social media.
Pirlo’s candidacy became complicated when it was uncovered that he was a global brand ambassador for the Russian betting company Fonbet.