Andrea Pirlo broke the silence on the controversy that distanced him from the Italian National Team: "My love does not depend on a position"

When it seemed that Andrea Pirlo would be the new coach of the Italian national team, an off-field controversy completely changed the scenario. The former midfielder, who had the support of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo Araújo to succeed Gennaro Gattuso, was removed from the running after the controversy surrounding his connection with the Russian betting house Fonbet and decided to respond with an extensive statement on his social media.

"Out of respect for the institutions, the Federation, and all those involved, I have chosen to remain silent until now. However, after learning last night that I am no longer a candidate for the Italian national team, I feel it is my duty to clarify certain matters", Pirlo began in the message posted on Instagram.

The 2006 World Champion explained that his relationship with Fonbet dates back to his time as coach of United FC in the United Arab Emirates, where he signed an agreement to become a global ambassador for the company. "Throughout my career, first as a player and now as a coach, I have always practiced my profession in strict compliance with the laws of the countries in which I have worked and the contracts I have signed. The professional collaboration that has been the subject of the recent controversy arose in the context of my career in the United Arab Emirates and is exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature", he commented.

However, the agreement sparked a strong reaction because Fonbet is one of the leading betting houses in Russia and its main shareholder is businessman Sergey Lomakin, also owner of United FC. The situation gained more attention after Pirlo and Marco Materazzi attended the final of the Russian Cup in May as guests of the company, during a trip that coincided with a new escalation of Russian attacks on Kiev.

Criticism quickly came from various political sectors. The Vice President of the European Parliament, Pina Picierno, accused the former footballer of having "normalized" the regime of Vladimir Putin, while leader Mauro Berrutto stated that he should sever his ties with Fonbet if he intended to take charge of the Azzurra.

In response to those accusations, Pirlo rejected any political interpretation of his contract. "Attributing a political meaning to this collaboration implies attributing beliefs to me that I have never expressed and that do not belong to me". He also thanked the support he received during the selection process. "I want to thank Maldini and Leonardo for the esteem and trust they have shown me".

The former coach of Juventus and Sampdoria also lamented that the discussion deviated from the sporting aspect: "I regret that a decision of a sporting nature has quickly been dragged into a public debate that has ended up attributing meanings and intentions to me that do not correspond". He concluded: "My love for Italy does not depend on a position. It is part of my history, of my identity".

With his exit confirmed, and after the rejections from Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) refocused its search on two coaches with a past in the national team: Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte.