Former Morocco international Hussein Kharja has strongly defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying European critics are concerned about losing their dominance as football expands across other continents.
Kharja, who is FIFA’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said he fully supported Infantino amid the criticism and pressure directed at the FIFA president in recent weeks.
Speaking to Moroccan platform Soccer212, Kharja also rejected speculation that he could become president of the Moroccan Football Federation, saying Fouzi Lekjaa remains the strongest choice for the role.
“I have only one thing to say: today, we have the best president the Moroccan Football Federation has ever known. Fouzi Lekjaa is someone for whom I have great appreciation and deep respect, and I have a very good relationship with him,” Kharja said.
“I wish him every success and hope with all my heart that he remains at the head of the federation. He is someone I respect greatly and, above all, he is extremely competent. It is difficult to find a president capable of achieving such work.”
Kharja also praised the organisation of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, arguing that the tournament had answered those who had been waiting for an opportunity to criticise it, as they had done with Qatar 2022.
“To be completely honest, all those who were waiting for an opportunity to criticise the tournament – as happened previously in Qatar 2022 – simply for the sake of criticism were completely wrong,” he said.
“As for attendance and the enthusiasm of the fans, despite the strong criticism over ticket prices and the cost of travel, the stadiums were completely full, whether in Canada, Mexico or the United States.”
Kharja said some had claimed the United States was not a football nation and that FIFA was heading towards failure, but insisted the tournament had silenced those doubts.
“In the end, this tournament silenced all the criticism, exactly as Qatar did two years ago. Congratulations to the organisers, the three host countries and FIFA. Everything was successful, despite those who were simply waiting for a mistake.”
On the criticism of Infantino, Kharja said the FIFA president’s proposals to national associations were optional rather than compulsory.
“First, things must be put into context. The president comes with a proposal for each association. He presents his project, and every association has the right to say yes or no. This is not compulsory in any way, contrary to what they are trying to make us believe. He proposes, and they decide. I see no problem at all,” he said.
Kharja argued that Infantino had used his network and relationships to try to secure funding for associations, which could choose whether to accept the offer.
He said Infantino and FIFA deserved recognition for their work since the president’s election in 2016, particularly their efforts to globalise the game.
“This is the real heart of the problem: this openness bothers a certain part of the world, especially Europe,” Kharja said.
He added that the prospect of smaller nations eventually competing with football’s traditional powers had unsettled some observers. Kharja pointed to the most recent World Cup, where less established teams had challenged the major nations.
“The real problem is that Europe feels threatened. It sees football progressing on other continents,” he said.
“As a Moroccan, I see it as a good thing when dual-nationality players who were born and trained in Europe choose to play for Morocco, their country of origin. This also bothers Europe, which looks selfishly only at its own interests.”
Kharja said many of those attacking Infantino were European and feared the end of their continent’s long-standing control of the sport.
“They are afraid of this coming competition, afraid their dominance will collapse, and they want to remain the only masters of football. But no: football belongs to everyone,” he said.
Kharja, who has worked closely with Infantino as his sporting adviser, said his personal experience had convinced him the FIFA president did not deserve the attacks directed at him.
“Because I have known Gianni Infantino personally and accompanied him every day, I see the person he is. I can assure you that he absolutely does not deserve all these unfair attacks. Frankly, he does not deserve all the bad things being said about him.”
He also accused Infantino’s critics of applying a double standard to football finance, pointing out that private investors fund European leagues and clubs without attracting the same scrutiny.
“How many private actors finance the European leagues, even at club level? There is no scandal there, and no one asks where the money comes from. But as soon as Infantino wants to bring in money to finance football across the world, they start shouting? This is pure hypocrisy. They want to prevent FIFA from doing what they allow themselves to do. Europe is simply afraid that its dominance will slip away.”
