Andrea Pirlo will not be the Italian coach

Former footballer and coach Andrea Pirlo confirmed this Monday that he is no longer a candidate for the position of Italy coach, after his relationship as an ambassador with the Russian betting house Fonbet became known, as reported by Pirlo himself on his Instagram account.

“Throughout my career, first as a player and now as a coach, I have always exercised my profession in strict compliance with the laws of the countries in which I have worked and the contracts I have signed. The professional collaboration that has been the subject of the recent controversy arose in the context of my career in the United Arab Emirates and is exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature. Attributing political meaning to this collaboration implies attributing to me beliefs that I have never expressed and that do not belong to me,” he clarified.

Despite this, Pirlo thanked the technical director of the Italian Football Federation, Paolo Maldini, and his advisor, Leonardo Nascimento, for the “esteem and trust” shown. “I know their experience, their seriousness and the love they have always shown to Italian football. I regret that a sporting decision has quickly become a public debate that ended up attributing to me meanings and intentions that do not represent me. Love for Italy does not depend on the mission. It is part of my history, of my identity, and will always be with me,” he concluded.

Pirlo has been one of the options, along with coaches Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, to occupy the ‘La Nazionale’ bench. However, according to ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, the former footballer maintains a direct relationship with the Fonbet betting house, which is why it was decided to withdraw his candidacy.