“We now have to see how we can get rid of him”

According to former FIFA President Joseph Blatter, UEFA will soon field a candidate for the highest office in world football. “Uefa has a plan; next week they will nominate an opposing candidate,” said the 90-year-old, himself Fifa president from 1998 to 2016, to “Spiegel”.

The European association is putting a lot of pressure on it, but if incumbent Gianni Infantino cannot be removed by the next presidential election in March, he will be re-elected. “We now have to see how we can get rid of him,” emphasized Blatter.

The application deadline ends on November 18th. Arsène Wenger is considered a possible challenger. According to information from the German Press Agency, a decision from the 77-year-old Frenchman is expected this week. Most recently, Infantino had secured election endorsements from Africa, Asia and South America, which would give him a majority in the election at the Fifa Congress on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco. Wenger would have to break up this alliance.

So far only the Japanese Kozo Tashima, who is a member of the Fifa Council, has submitted his application. However, he is not given any realistic electoral chances. Blatter brings in the British Sebastian Coe, currently president of the World Athletics Association. "Coe was already chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee. He is a strong personality. A president from the motherland of football, England, would be good," said Blatter.

Blatter, during whose term of office high-ranking FIFA officials had proven to be corruptible, also called for limits on the power of future FIFA presidents. "Possibly he should only represent. The rest should be done by the Fifa Council and a managing director. FIFA should be run like a company," said Blatter.

Continuing like this would harm the world association. "Fifa is suffering. It is currently being led by a person who has allowed himself to be deluded. The meeting with Donald Trump has changed Gianni Infantino. He believes he has been chosen to monopolize the most popular sport in the world. But now there are leading people in the football organization who don't approve of that. They want to depose him."

When Infantino heard that the Asian Football Confederation wanted to oppose him, his compatriot flew to Asia and campaigned. “He promised the national associations money until the head of the Asian association spoke out in his favor,” said Blatter. "He is campaigning at the expense of Fifa. Infantino is doing exactly what a president is not allowed to do. He is a dictator. People in Fifa tell me that no one is allowed to ride in the elevator with him. He is untouchable."

His successor simply knows no limits anymore. "He doesn't understand any of this. I mean, maybe Infantino should be sent to a psychiatric hospital. Infantino was a bad footballer, he says that himself. That's why he doesn't know fair play."