Russia and betting: thorns on Pirlo's path to leading Italy

The new administration of the Italian Football Federation has chosen Andrea Pirlo to take charge of the national team in the next phase, but the coach faces a controversial obstacle: his role as a brand ambassador for "Fonbet", one of Russia's largest sports betting companies.

The path does not appear easy for Paolo Maldini, the new technical director of the Italian Federation, and his adviser Leonardo.

Pep Guardiola had already rejected their offer to rescue the struggling Italian national team, despite negotiations that lasted several days and seemed to be going well. Now the pair face a fresh headache. They turned to Pirlo, and questions over his Russian connections surfaced almost immediately, according to the French newspaper "L'Equipe".

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Since July 2025, Pirlo has coached the Emirati side Dubai United, whose main sponsors include the Russian retail chain "Fix Price", the company founded by the Russian oligarch Sergei Lomakin.

Lomakin also holds interests in "Fonbet", for which Pirlo became an ambassador in October 2025.

Back in May, the Milan and Juventus legend travelled to Moscow to attend an event organised by a company linked to the Russian Federation. That visit already stirred controversy in Italy, but the matter has taken on new dimensions now the coach's name is tied to leading the Azzurri.

"A grave mistake"

Pina Picierno, vice-president of the European Parliament, dragged the Italian political class into the row. "Pirlo lent his stature to normalising Putin's regime, while Ukraine was under bombardment. His appointment is a grave mistake."

Calm prevails in Pirlo's circle, with assurances that he can end his contracts with Dubai United and the Russian agency at any time on his own initiative. Once these ties are severed, there will be no problem in practical terms.

Giovanni Malagò, the newly elected president of the Italian Federation, wants clear guarantees on that front. He is eager to see Pirlo free himself from these links quickly.

Malagò enjoys a close relationship with Roberto Mancini, and would have preferred him to reclaim the national team job. Mancini led Italy between 2018 and 2023, before walking away without hesitation to accept a Saudi offer in 2023, less than a year before the European Championship.

Serie A clubs, by contrast, pushed for Antonio Conte, a strong figure capable of delivering quick results. Maldini and Leonardo chose Pirlo, and ignoring their call looks difficult after their recent appointment to lead the new project.

The signs point to further talks over Pirlo's future in the coming hours, along with the guarantees required before his appointment as coach of the Italian national team is officially settled.

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