Several former internationals, led by ex-Blue Mikaël Silvestre, demanded on Monday a “change” at the head of FIFA, plunged into a deep crisis since the aborted project to open the World Cup to private investors.
“Change is necessary. The exercise of power has altered the ability of current leaders to distinguish their personal interests from the greater interests of football,” assert Mikaël Silvestre, Emmanuel Petit and Olivier Dacourt on their social networks, without mentioning FIFA boss Gianni Infantino by name.
Written in three languages at the initiative of Mikaël Silvestre – involved with FIFA in a panel of former players against racism – this text should be shared more widely in the coming hours, the former Manchester United defender told AFP. It has already been taken over by the Englishwoman Lucy Bronze, double reigning European champion.
“We share exactly the same concerns as millions of supporters around the world. Like them, we have seen the sport we love move away from its fundamental values under the current leadership of FIFA,” the former players continue.
They do not return directly to the negotiations carried out on the sly by Gianni Infantino to accommodate the World Cup revenues in a commercial company open to private investors, a project abandoned this summer under pressure from the European, North American and Asian confederations.
But they deplore that “for too long, major decisions (have) been taken without consultation or consideration of the players and without any regard for the supporters who keep this sport alive”. “Recent events have made silence impossible. Enough is enough,” they insist, calling on “all stakeholders to take action.”
Several federations have dropped Infantino
Politically, they believe that players and supporters must be “granted a real and direct right of say over the management of football” – an echo of the petition launched last week by a coalition of supporters’ organizations, demanding a “fundamental reform” of FIFA.
Despite calls for resignation, Gianni Infantino remains firmly determined to run for a new term on March 18, 2027 in Rabat. But while he had secured the support of more than 200 federations two months ago, the defections are increasing: on Monday, that of Gibraltar was added to those of the English, Irish, Welsh, Swedish, Israeli and New Zealand federations.
