Andrea Pirlo has not yet been officially appointed as the head coach of Italy, but serious disputes have already erupted around his name. The center of criticism has been his commercial commitments related to the Russian bookmaker “Fonbet”, which has raised questions about whether a person in such a position can be associated with such a company.
In Italy, many emphasize that the national coach is not just a club coach, but a figure who represents the country to the world. That is why accusations have arisen that such partnerships are incompatible with the position.
According to “Sport Mediaset”, however, the controversy will probably end immediately after Pirlo's official appointment. The reason is that as the coach of the “Squadra Azzurri“ he will not have the right to maintain contractual relations with a bookmaker company.
His current role as a global ambassador for “Fonbet” is directly related to his work at the helm of “United FC” in the United Arab Emirates. The club's owner, Sergey Lomakin, has business interests in the Russian bookmaker, which also explains Pirlo's advertising partnership.