Portugal great Luis Figo has called on Gianni Infantino to resign as FIFA president after the governing body’s plan to sell the World Cup to private investors was blocked.
Figo, one of the most decorated players of his generation, has added his voice to growing criticism of Infantino and his abandoned proposal. The former Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder said the FIFA president should leave his position immediately.
The plan faced opposition from FIFA confederations, including UEFA, which threatened to boycott the World Cup if it went ahead.
On Tuesday, the former Arsenal manager who is now FIFA’s chief of global football development publicly distanced himself from Infantino’s proposal. Figo followed that intervention with a strongly worded statement on social media on Wednesday.
“Today I join others from across our game and call for Gianni Infantino to resign as FIFA President,” Figo said.
“Infantino has debased the office that he promised to elevate. He has lied, deceived and tried to feather his own nest at the expense of the game he is supposed to serve.
“He has lost the support of his senior staff, his closest advisers, the vast majority of people who devote their lives to this sport and even, it would seem, the FIFA Peace Prize winner [Donald Trump].
“It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football. He should go. Now.”
Pressure mounts on Infantino
Figo’s intervention comes as opposition to Infantino’s plan continues to grow within football’s governing structures.
UEFA has also raised the possibility of taking legal action against Infantino over the proposal, according to sources who spoke to ESPN.
The English and Welsh Football Associations are among the bodies that have withdrawn their support for the FIFA president.
Infantino’s plan to transfer the World Cup to private investors has therefore been met with resistance from major football organisations, alongside concern from senior figures inside the game. UEFA’s threat to boycott the tournament was a significant obstacle to the proposal, which has now failed to progress.
Figo’s criticism is particularly notable given his status as one of Portugal’s greatest players and his career at some of Europe’s most prominent clubs. He won trophies during spells with Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan and is widely regarded as one of the outstanding footballers of his era.
The former Portugal international said Infantino had failed to uphold the responsibilities of the FIFA presidency and claimed the organisation’s leader had lost the confidence of staff, advisers and many people working across football.
He also referred to Donald Trump, described in the statement as the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize, suggesting that even Infantino’s support from that quarter appeared to have weakened.
Figo concluded by saying that, although Infantino’s reputation could not now be restored, football could still be protected if the FIFA president stepped down.
