2 giorni fa
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The former Inter player told the Daily Mail: 'He lied and acted in his own interests.' The FIFA president has called an emergency meeting today in Morocco to ensure his survival for at least the seven months leading up to the elections.
There are few certainties in life. One of them, lately, is the daily broadside aimed at Gianni Infantino. Today, it's Luis Figo's turn, with almost 800 appearances in a brilliant career that saw him play for Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter. He also earned 127 caps for Portugal and has served as a football advisor for UEFA since 2017. The former midfielder has penned a lengthy article for the English newspaper, the Daily Mail, in which he calls for the immediate resignation of the FIFA president. Here it is.
Cowardly
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"I could write 10,000 words about FIFA's problems. But for the solution, three are enough: Infantino must go. I have loved football all my life. I was a professional footballer for 20 years. And believe me, throughout my career, I've met my share of scoundrels. But what has emerged in the last ten days represents the lowest, most deceptive, and cowardly behaviour, driven by purely selfish interests, that I have ever witnessed. A man who would want to do something like this (selling shares of World Cup rights to private entities), a man who would seek to impose such radical changes merely to enrich himself and his friends, is a relic of football's past and should have no role in its future. If it was such a valid idea, why didn't you communicate it to your members when you gathered them all in a room before the World Cup final? If it was such a solid plan, why didn't you inform your members of the risks, in addition to what you called the benefits? If the operation was so obvious and advantageous, why not be honest about the fact that, in the end, it would guarantee you a position worth $30 million a year? But none of this was done."
Strategies
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Because it's not a good idea. It's not a solid strategy if you fail to be transparent about the enormous financial returns that private equity funds always demand. It's not a brave move if you don't explain that, once your share is sold, it's lost forever, depriving your successors of ownership of the World Cup. And it's not honest if you avoid saying that, after serving the World Cup on a silver platter to your friends in Washington, they will offer you a job worth five times your current salary.
Jordan
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None of this is surprising, considering the long list of damage inflicted on football's reputation: from the suspension and revocation of disciplinary decisions to the violation of playing rules to favour a half-time spectacle, nothing stops him from pleasing his friends. Even the statements from Prince Ali (president of the Jordanian Football Association) are not surprising; he denounced Infantino's 'clan-like' FIFA methods: obstructing the work and funding of his federation simply to obtain a letter of candidacy and thus perpetuate a regime driven by blatant personal interest. Football certainly needs a debate about money. But not money destined to leave the world of football to end up in investors' pockets or to pay exorbitant salaries to executives. I am referring to resources that should be invested in building pitches and training coaches, to ensure every child in the world has the chance to fall in love with the planet's most beautiful sport. I'm thinking, for a start, of the $5 billion in FIFA's reserves. How many shares could be bought with that sum in this squalid and shady intrigue? All of them! So, ultimately, there is no need for external investment.
Media
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This project – just like the Super League before it – was blown apart by the media, who exposed every subtle move and every behind-the-scenes detail before its promoters could even define a coherent communication strategy. And it's a good thing it happened that way. Infantino has debased the office of FIFA president, which he had promised to ennoble. He lied, he deceived, and he sought to serve his own interests at the expense of the sport he was supposed to serve. He has lost the support of his top collaborators, his closest advisors, the vast majority of those who dedicate their lives to this discipline, and even, it seems, the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize (Donald Trump). It's too late to save his dignity, but it's not too late to save football. He must go. Now."
Emergency Meeting
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Sensing the situation was becoming extremely delicate, Infantino called an emergency meeting with FIFA's top brass in Morocco today in an attempt to strengthen his position. Infantino has spent the last week in Morocco, a country that will co-host the 2030 World Cup and whose football federation has announced its continued support for him. The first item on the agenda for the meeting at FIFA's African headquarters in Salé, located on the opposite bank of the Bou Regreg river from the Moroccan capital Rabat, will likely be to ensure Infantino survives at least the seven months leading up to the elections. An extraordinary Congress could be convened if 43 or more FIFA-affiliated federations make a formal written request. Qatar, which hosted the 2022 World Cup, Kuwait, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines have declared their loyalty to Infantino. Leading African football officials have sent messages of support to Infantino, who is seeking the backing of the continent's 54 members. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not yet taken a stance. The executive committee of the smaller and less wealthy regional confederation, Oceania, will meet next Wednesday to discuss its approach.
This article was originally written in Italian by La Gazzetta dello Sport editor. The English version has been generated using AI translation tools. If you notice any translation errors or have suggestions, please contact us at iniziativegazzetta@rcs.it
La Gazzetta dello Sport
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