LONDON.- The Portuguese Luis Figoformer player of real Madrid and of FC Barcelonaasked for the resignation of Gianni Infantinowhom he called “dishonest”, joining the voices critical of the president of the FIFA.
Infantino is struggling to gain support after a strong reaction against his plan to open FIFA competitions to private investors, including the Worldthrough the company FIFA Forward Enterprise.
The plan unleashed an avalanche of criticism towards Infantino and was rejected by three continental confederations, forcing the FIFA chief to abandon his idea.
In an attempt to regain support after his controversial initiative, Infantino held talks with other FIFA officials in Morocco this Wednesday, according to a source told AFP.
But the former international attacker with Portugal increased pressure on the Italian-Swiss FIFA leader by attacking the plan and demanding his resignation.
“I could write 10,000 words about FIFA’s problems. But the solution only needs three: Infantino must go,” Figo wrote in the British newspaper Daily Mail.
“I have loved football all my life. I was a professional player for 20 years. And believe me, I have come across some scoundrels in my playing days,” he explained.
“But what I have seen come to light in the last 10 days is the lowest, most dishonest and cowardly behavior, motivated by self-interest, that I have ever witnessed in my life,” said Figo.
Infantino had defended his proposal by stating that it would increase the income of all FIFA member federations.
But his attempt to rush through the deal without consulting soccer associations around the world, along with concerns about the possibility of holding an expanded World Cup every two years instead of every four, sparked a fierce backlash.
“The man who would do that – the man who would try to impose such major changes just to enrich himself and his friends – is a vestige of the game’s past and should have no role in its future,” Figo said.
Several senior FIFA officials – including the former coach of the Arsenal, Arsene Wenger— have harshly criticized Infantino’s behavior.
“It’s too late to save your dignity”
Figo, who withdrew from the race to become FIFA president in 2015, wants Infantino to resign immediately rather than wait to try for re-election next year.
The 53-year-old former player concluded: “He has lost the support of his senior officials, his closest advisors, the vast majority of people who dedicate their lives to this sport and even, it seems, the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize (the American president, donald trump). It’s too late to save their dignity, but it’s not too late to save football. He must go. Already”.
