Andrea Pirlo’s association with the Russian gambling operator Fonbet has cost him the opportunity to manage the Italy national team. As scrutiny surrounding his ties to the firm intensifies, the president of his current club has categorically denied any connection to the betting site.
Currently, Pirlo serves as the manager for United FC, a club based in Dubai and owned by Russian businessman Sergey Lomakin. Pirlo had previously claimed that his involvement with Fonbet was related to his role at the club, but United FC has distanced itself from the operator altogether.
In a statement to Gazzetta dello Sport, a club spokesperson asserted, "Mr. Lomakin has no interest in Fonbet. Furthermore, United FC Dubai, the football club where Andrea Pirlo is the coach, has no connection with Fonbet. The connection between Mr. Lomakin, United FC Dubai, and Fonbet does not exist."
This public claim contradicts Pirlo's assertions regarding his affiliation. In October of last year, he became an ambassador for Fonbet. On Instagram, he explained, "The professional collaboration at the heart of the recent controversy arose during my time working in the United Arab Emirates and is purely commercial and sporting in nature."
Despite his endorsement, United FC’s statement refutes this narrative. Pirlo emphasized that his ties to Fonbet do not signify support for Russia amidst the ongoing Ukraine conflict. He stated, "Attributing a political significance to that collaboration means attributing beliefs to me that I have never expressed and don’t belong to me."
Pirlo was initially poised to take over as manager of Italy but faced backlash due to his connection with Fonbet. Although he expressed disappointment over not receiving the position, he affirmed, "My love for Italy doesn’t depend on a job. It’s part of my history, my identity, and it will remain forever."
As Pirlo's prospects dimmed, Paulo Maldini, the newly appointed technical director and a former teammate of Pirlo’s at both AC Milan and the national team, was reported to have favored Pirlo for the role. Following the decision not to appoint him, Maldini resigned after just 16 days, and Leonardo, another ex-AC Milan player who had taken on an advisory role, also stepped down.
In light of these resignations, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) appointed Roberto Mancini as the new manager. Mancini led Italy to victory in the Euro 2020 championship during his previous management tenure from 2018 to 2023, although he did not qualify the team for the 2022 World Cup. Italy also failed to secure a spot in the upcoming 2026 World Cup, signaling a troubling trend for their national football program.
Italy's gambling regulations are stringent, particularly in the context of the conflict with Ukraine. The Decreto Dignità, effective from 2019, prohibits gambling advertising and sports sponsorship. Yet, various Italian soccer clubs continue to partner with gambling firms through affiliated companies. For instance, Inter Milan displays the Swedish betting firm Betsson on their jerseys as Betsson Sport. Additionally, Polymarket has secured sponsorship agreements with Serie A and Lazio, despite being banned in Italy.
Fonbet, established in 1994 by chess grandmaster Anatoly Machulsky, is one of Russia's largest licensed betting companies. While not licensed in Italy, it operates internationally under a license from Curaçao.
