Figo’s three‑word verdict fuels FIFA leadership showdown
Luís Figo, the Portuguese football icon, has launched a scathing attack on Gianni Infantino’s FIFA leadership while the governing body pushes a controversial private‑investment plan for its commercial assets. The contrast pits Figo’s demand for immediate change against FIFA’s insistence that the project will modernise its finances.
Na , Figo published a full‑length article calling for the "immediate exit" of Gianni Infantino from the FIFA presidency. The piece, appearing in the British newspaper , explicitly urges the president to step down and frames the call as a response to a lack of transparency.
"Eu poderia escrever 10 mil palavras sobre os problemas da Fifa. Mas a solução precisa de apenas três: Infantino precisa sair," Figo wrote, reducing his remedy to three simple words – the removal of Infantino.
He added that he had never witnessed such conduct in football, describing it as "o comportamento mais baixo, enganoso e egoísta que já testemunhei no futebol."
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Figo also labelled Infantino "um resquício do passado do futebol," suggesting the current manager represents an outdated model that no longer fits the sport’s future.
The former captain criticised the way FIFA presented the asset‑sale project to its member federations, asking, "Se era uma ideia tão boa, por que não disse aos membros quando todos estavam reunidos antes da final da Copa do Mundo? Se era um plano tão sólido, por que não explicou os riscos, assim como aquilo que descreve como benefícios?"
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He argued that FIFA’s $5 billion in reserves make external investment unnecessary, stating, "Quantas ações isso poderia comprar? Todas! Portanto, não há necessidade de investimento externo," and noting that the proposed deal could net Infantino a role worth about $30 million a year.
Finally, Figo said the organisation’s priority should be expanding access to the sport, especially in poorer nations, insisting that money be spent on "a construção de campos e na formação de treinadores, para garantir que todas as crianças do mundo tenham a oportunidade de se apaixonar pelo esporte mais bonito do planeta." His comments arrive as UEFA and CONCACAF have publicly opposed the plan, and Infantino has recently abandoned the proposal, heightening the political pressure on his tenure.