Pirlo exits Italy football job over betting firm row

Andrea Pirlo has exited the Italian Football Federation manager position following backlash over his links to a Russian betting company, the BBC reported on Monday. The departure throws the federation into further turmoil as Italy confronts its third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup. Pirlo, the former Juventus and midfield architect of Italy's 2006 World Cup victory, had recently taken the role but faced immediate pressure over the betting firm connection.

The Italian Football Federation now faces the urgent task of finding a replacement to rebuild the national team's credibility. The timing is particularly difficult given the federation's institutional instability and the scale of the challenge ahead—restoring Italy's place among Europe's elite football nations after a series of qualification disappointments. The betting company controversy added a layer of reputational damage that the federation could not sustain.