World Cup champion Andrea Pirlo announced on July 27 via his Instagram that he is no longer a candidate for the head coach position of the Italian national team. This decision comes amid significant media attention in Italy surrounding Pirlo's ambassador contract with the Russian bookmaker FONBET.
FONBET appointed Pirlo as their international brand ambassador in October 2025. Since then, he has participated in various advertising campaigns, including a commercial aired on Match TV during the 2026 World Cup matches. Pirlo stated that this collaboration began during his coaching tenure in the UAE and is purely commercial and sports-related.
The FONBET press service expressed regret over the unfolding controversy and wished Pirlo the best in maintaining his reputation. Notably, FONBET has already edited the caption of a joint Instagram post with Pirlo from October 9, 2025, removing any mention of his ambassador status, leaving only the phrase 'Ciao, Andrea Pirlo.'
Additionally, the bookmaker’s domains were included in the updated registry of unauthorized gambling sites by the Italian regulator ADM on July 10, prior to the scandal, with their blocking taking effect on July 27, as reported by Agimeg. Giovanni Malago, the President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), promised to present a new candidate to the public soon.