FIFA President Gianni Infantino is under immense pressure over his plans to sell a portion of the World Cup stake to outside investors, but former Chelsea and Barcelona star Samuel Eto'o remains a supporter.
In an interview, Eto'o stated that he believes the recent criticism of Infantino is related to the upcoming FIFA presidential election.
“I don’t think FIFA President Gianni Infantino did anything wrong. I think the timing of all this is because the election is coming up and Gianni Infantino will be running for office. All of this is happening because the election is coming up, nothing more.”
Eto'o also highly praised Infantino's impact on the world football landscape since taking office. He believes that Infantino's expansion of the World Cup has provided more opportunities for countries that previously lacked participation, and has also promoted the development of African football.
"President Infantino has changed football. He has given opportunities to countries that would otherwise not have had the chance to participate in the World Cup, the most beautiful tournament. He has enabled smaller countries to participate in these events. He has helped our African continent and helped national football associations develop faster."
“We need to acknowledge this, accept and recognize everything he has done so far, and support him.”
When discussing the previously controversial World Cup rights plan, Eto'o believes that Infantino's eventual withdrawal of the plan was largely due to pressure from football powerhouses and public opinion. However, he still firmly believes that if the plan could be implemented, it would bring huge benefits to African football.
"Major powers have occupied the media space and expressed their views. President Infantino, wanting to maintain the unity of the football family, has therefore decided to withdraw the plan."
"But I still believe that this plan could have made a huge difference for us Africans. It would have rebalanced the power structure of the football world and ensured that our talent would not be lost and that we would not end up playing for other countries."
Eto'o also believes that some critics do not truly understand the specifics of the plan, but rather make judgments based on their own advantageous position.
Ultimately, those who talk about and comment on this plan haven't really understood its contents. Some people are just looking at it from their own advantageous position.
Finally, Eto'o called on national football associations to reconsider the plan and said that if Infantino is successfully re-elected, he hopes to bring the plan back on the agenda.
“I hope all my colleagues and chairpersons will reread this plan. With President Infantino’s re-election, we will have enough power to demand that this plan be put back on the agenda.”
“I still believe that if a democratic vote were held, this plan would pass because it would benefit the majority of people.”
