# Andrea Pirlo out of Italy job running, defends Russian betting deal

Andrea Pirlo is no longer a candidate for the Italy national team manager position. He has defended his sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm, which had drawn criticism. The situation highlights ongoing ethical debates in football regarding betting partnerships.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/27/andrea-pirlo-out-of-running-for-italy-job-but-defends-deal-with-russian-betting-firm) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:56:40 GMT

### World
- [BBC World](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g49r2338xo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:03:15 GMT