Off the PitchFootball ItaliaUnverified source· 26 Jul 2026
Shevchenko slams Pirlo over Russian betting deal
Ukraine legend Andriy Shevchenko publicly rebukes former Milan teammate Andrea Pirlo for ties to Russian betting giant Fonbet.
G. Shevchenko
player
Who
Andriy Shevchenko
What
Criticized Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti, and Marco Materazzi for partnerships with Russian companies
When
Current
What happened. Andriy Shevchenko condemned Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti, and Marco Materazzi for their commercial ties with Russian betting company Fonbet, saying he spoke to them directly and expressed his opposition.
- Shevchenko spoke directly with the players and made his position clear.
- He said the episode has hurt his relationships with them.
- Pirlo is a frontrunner to become Italy head coach amid scrutiny over his Fonbet ambassadorship.
“I condemn what they did. People understand, but they went ahead with the decision anyway.”
— Andriy Shevchenko
Shevchenko's criticism adds pressure on Pirlo as he seeks the Italy coaching job.
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