Italian World Cup winners Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi have sparked outrage by attending a football event in Moscow on the same day Russia launched one of its largest missile attacks on Kyiv. The former players signed autographs and posed for selfies with Kremlin supporters at the "Football Day" celebration held at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
Event Details and Controversy
The event, organized by Fonbet, Russia's largest betting company, featured exhibition matches, autograph sessions, and appearances by former football stars. Prominent pro-Kremlin artists performed, including Yaroslav Dronov, known as Shaman, whose songs have become unofficial anthems of the war. Pirlo and Materazzi were photographed alongside Russian striker Artem Dzyuba, who has expressed pride in being Russian since the invasion began.
Pirlo's presence reignited criticism that first emerged last October when he signed a deal with Fonbet as a global ambassador. Fonbet, which has murky ownership structures and ties to Russian authorities, previously operated as AC Milan's regional partner in Russia before the club suspended the agreement in 2023.
Reactions from Ukraine and Beyond
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, barred from racing in the Winter Games for wearing a helmet dedicated to Ukraine's war dead, called Pirlo a "moral bankrupt" on social media. He wrote: "Today was one of the largest Russian attacks... Also today, Italian football legend Andrea Pirlo was spotted in Moscow next to Russian footballer Dzyuba, who openly supports the Kremlin's policy and the killing of Ukrainians. Shame."
European Parliament vice-president Pina Picierno, an Italian Democrat, criticized the visit, stating: "Money can buy many things... What money cannot buy, however, is credibility, integrity and the ability to stand in the affairs of the world with honour and a straight spine."
Defense from Pirlo and Materazzi
Pirlo defended the visit, saying: "We came here exclusively for sport and for the children. Football has the unique power to bring people together, to overcome borders and to offer a moment of joy, especially to young kids who dream of becoming footballers." Materazzi echoed this sentiment, stating: "We are here for a celebration of football, to meet the fans and to show that the ball speaks a universal language."
The controversy echoes a similar backlash faced by Francesco Totti last year after he traveled to Moscow as a guest of honor at a sports and betting event. Totti rejected accusations of political significance, saying: "I am not a politician or a diplomat, I am a man of sport who promotes its values around the world."
The missile attack on Kyiv involved over 600 drones and 90 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, killing at least four people and injuring about 100. The event has intensified scrutiny on athletes who engage with Russia amid the ongoing war.
