Rizky Amelia
French football legend Michel Platini has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down, citing a series of scandals and controversies that have engulfed the world football governing body. In a scathing interview with a French media outlet, Platini accused Infantino of prioritizing "money and power" over the integrity of the sport.
Platini, who served as UEFA president from 2007 to 2015, highlighted Infantino's aborted plan to bring private investment into FIFA events, including the World Cup, as a key reason for his demand. The former UEFA boss also criticized the so-called hydration breaks at the recently concluded World Cup in North America, which often lasted up to four minutes and were used by the host broadcaster for advertisements.
"The ad breaks are not in the rules, the 30-minute half-time break in the final is not in the rules, and the red card, that’s the worst," Platini said, referring to FIFA's decision to suspend the red card ban given to American forward Folarin Balogun after a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to Infantino.
The 56-year-old Infantino has been under scrutiny since his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup, which sparked backlash from UEFA and other football governing bodies. UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments until Infantino scraps the FIFA Forward Enterprises plan to bring in private investment.
European football's governing body has also accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" over the private financing. Other regional bodies, including CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, have joined UEFA in putting pressure on Infantino, who is hoping to run for re-election in March.
Platini, who was himself accused of fraud in 2015 when eyeing the top job at FIFA, believes that UEFA's efforts to bring down Infantino should be pursued through the courts rather than sporting institutions. "If UEFA want to bring down Infantino, it will be through the courts," he said.
Platini, who was cleared of any wrongdoing in 2025, is currently suing Infantino, along with former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala, in France. He accuses the trio of a "criminal conspiracy to commit false accusation ... influence peddling ... and aiding and abetting influence peddling."
The former UEFA president expressed his belief that Infantino has always loved money and power, a sentiment echoed by many within the football community. "I always knew that he loved money and power," Platini said about the Swiss-Italian.
As the world waits to see whether Infantino will step down or face further scrutiny, the future of FIFA remains uncertain. With investigations into Infantino ongoing worldwide, the pressure on the FIFA president continues to mount.
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