Paolo Maldini and Leonardo Resign Amid FIFA Ethics Crisis; Pirlo Denies Political Collusion in Coach Race
Andrea Pirlo, the former Juventus and Azzurri icon, is no longer a candidate to coach Italy after days of controversy over his ties to Russian gambling giant Fonbet, which has sponsored events involving veterans of Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) had been all set to name him head coach, following previous attempts at securing Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti. However, under pressure from politicians, Pirlo stepped down as a candidate.
On Sunday, Italian football was plunged further into crisis. FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini resigned, along with his former teammate Leonardo, who served as an adviser to Maldini and ex-AC Milan captain. Both had been tasked with finding the right successor after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup for a third time in three tournaments.
“Anyone who is or has been promoting Russia after 2022 should not hold national office,” said Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party. The Italian media reports that Maldini’s resignation follows his criticism of Pirlo's collaboration with Fonbet last October.Pirlo Denies Political Collusion in Coach Race
In an Instagram post on Monday, Pirlo wrote: “Over the last few days I watched, with great bitterness, the debate that swirled around my name. Any professional collaboration I undertook was exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature.