Andrea Pirlo has been ruled out of contention for the Italy head coach role after political pressure over his ambassadorial contract with Fonbet, a Russian betting company, the former World Cup winner confirmed on Monday.
Pirlo announced via Instagram that he was informed on Sunday evening he was no longer the candidate for the Italy national team job. The decision caps a chaotic period in Italian football, during which the Azzurri's search for a new coach descended into a political storm.
Several Italian politicians had raised objections to Pirlo's ties with Fonbet, arguing that the national team coach should not be associated with a Russian company while Italy supports Ukraine against Russia's invasion. Pirlo defended the deal, stating it was "exclusively for commercial and sports purposes" and linked to his current role as head coach of Dubai United in the UAE.
"I heard last night that I'm no longer the candidate for the Italy national team job," Pirlo wrote. "Attributing a political significance to that collaboration means attributing beliefs to me that I have never expressed and don't belong to me. My love for Italy doesn't depend on a job. It's part of my history, my identity and it will remain forever."
The controversy has also put pressure on Paolo Maldini, who was appointed FIGC technical director just 16 days ago. Reports suggest Maldini, a former Milan teammate of Pirlo, is considering stepping down after his preferred candidate was vetoed.
Pirlo was at best a third-choice candidate after Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti and former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had already turned down the role. His candidacy was already unpopular given underwhelming managerial stints at Juventus and Sampdoria, despite his iconic status as a player who helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup.
FIGC president Giovanni Malagò now faces the task of finding a new coach. Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to the 2021 European Championship title, and Antonio Conte, who coached Italy at Euro 2016, have both re-entered discussions. Simone Inzaghi, currently coaching in Saudi Arabia, has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.
Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, has failed to qualify for three consecutive editions of the tournament. The next coach will be the fourth to hold the position in as many years, following the departures of Luciano Spalletti and Gennaro Gattuso and the collapse of the Pirlo negotiations.
Whoever takes over will face Belgium, Turkey and France in Nations League fixtures in September and October.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/andrea-pirlo-italy-coach-82b063563b31cfc33839cd2b2fa1b9b2
- https://football-italia.net/pirlo-ruled-out-of-italy-job-live-reactions/
