A group of influential current and former footballers have added to the pressure on Gianni Infantino by calling for change at the top of Fifa, saying “enough is enough” in a statement shared widely across social media.
The intervention is particularly significant given some of those behind its circulation have undertaken ambassadorial activities for Fifa as part of its “Fifa Legends” programme. Among them is the former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikaël Silvestre, who also sits on the governing body’s 16-member players’ voice panel designed to assist with anti-racism initiatives.
Others to have shared the statement include the England defender Lucy Bronze, the former England keeper David James and the France 1998 World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit. More signatories are expected to follow in a concerted reaction to Infantino’s ill-fated attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup.
“We share the exact same concerns as the millions of fans around the world,” part of the statement read. “Like them, we have watched the game we love drift away from its core values under Fifa’s current leadership. For too long, we’ve seen major decisions taken without players being consulted or considered, and without any regard for the fans who sustain the sport.
“Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership’s ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football. Recent events have made silence impossible. Enough is enough.”
The group called for efforts to “reshape the future of our sport”, adding: “There are good people within Fifa who want to rebuild trust, but a new era requires a structured change: a real, direct say for players and fans in how football is run. Those who step on to the pitch and those who sit in the stands deserve a genuine voice to help reshape football’s future together.”
Infantino has resisted calls to resign and spent Saturday at a youth tournament in the Dominican Republic, attempting to smooth relations with some of the smaller Caribbean member associations on whose support his fate may hinge.
One former player with a different perspective on Infantino is the former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o, who is president of the Cameroonian football federation. In an interview with CNN, Eto’o said Infantino had not committed any missteps and called for the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme to be put back on the table if Infantino is re-elected next March. He said the money from FFE would “reset the balance of power” in football and ensure African countries avoided losing top players to other national teams.
“I don’t think that [Infantino] has done anything wrong,” he said. “All of this has happened because there’s an election coming out, that’s all there is.
“I want to see all of my colleagues, all of the presidents, re-reading the project. After president Infantino is re-elected, we will have the strength to ask for this project to be put back on the table for discussion. I remain convinced that, if there is a democratic vote, this project will be adopted because it’s good for the majority.”
