A group of current and former footballers have joined the growing calls for change at the top of FIFA, as pressure continues to mount on the world governing body’s president, Gianni Infantino.
Former Manchester United and France defender Mikael Silvestre led the intervention on Monday with a statement titled “Enough is Enough!” The 48-year-old, who serves on Fifa’s 16-member Players’ Voice Panel, shared the message on 𝕏, where it received support from England defender Lucy Bronze, former France international Emmanuel Petit and ex-England goalkeeper David James.
The players said they shared “the same concerns as the millions of fans around the world”, while criticising Infantino’s controversial plan to sell stakes in major football competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors.
“We have watched the game we love drift away from its core values under Fifa’s current leadership,” the statement read.
“For too long we’ve seen major decisions taken without players being consulted or considered, and without any regard for the fans who sustain the sport.”
The group called for “structural change” within FIFA and demanded a greater role for players and supporters in the way football is governed.
“Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership’s ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football. Recent events have made silence impossible.”
Silvestre’s involvement has increased the significance of the growing opposition, given his role within FIFA’s Players’ Voice Panel, which the governing body established to help monitor and advise its efforts to tackle racism in football.
The latest criticism comes as Infantino faces mounting opposition over the FIFA Forward Enterprise controversy. Several football confederations and national associations have withdrawn their support, while UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has also said he expects Infantino to resign or face a challenge when FIFA holds its next presidential election in March. The football associations of England, Wales and Scotland have also withdrawn their support for the FIFA president.
However, Infantino continues to receive backing from some quarters, with former Barcelona and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o defending his leadership.
“I remain convinced that for us as Africans, this project was something that could have been incredible,” Eto’o told CNN on Monday.
“It would have reset the balance of power in football to ensure that our talent doesn’t disappear and end up playing for other nations.
“Infantino has changed football. He’s given opportunities to nations that didn’t have those opportunities to take part in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup. He enabled smaller nations to get seats at these competitions. He has helped our continent. He’s helped our federations to develop much more quickly, and we need to acknowledge that.”