Step Right Up, Infantino

In an interview given to a Brazilian broadcaster during the World Cup opening ceremony, FIFA president Gianni Infantino found nothing better to do than ridicule Italian football with an ill‑judged joke.

While discussing the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams — and a possible future upgrade to 64 — the head of world football’s monopolistic governing body thought it amusing to take a cheap shot at the “Red Cross” (or the Blue Cross, in this case):

Let’s see how this World Cup with 48 teams goes… It’s clearly a huge event. We’ve already discussed 64 teams, to involve the whole world even more. The question was raised in the FIFA Council, but for now let’s enjoy this first edition with 48 teams. Maybe Italy would qualify with 64 teams… we could go up to 208 to see if they make it.”

In plain words, one of the most glorious footballing nations on the planet (only Brazil has won more World Cups than Italy) has supposedly become so weak it can’t even compete with the minnows of the sport. An insult as unpleasant as it is inappropriate — especially coming from someone whose job is to administer the game on behalf of every footballing reality, strong or weak, irrelevant, struggling or growing.

Unsurprisingly, the remark was not well received in Italy. The Minister of Sport, the valiant “Don Abbondio” Abodi, declared he intends to speak with Infantino to clarify the matter — though it is far more likely that such a meeting will never take place, just like all the other good intentions the minister has expressed so far.

But really, is it worth getting upset over the words of someone like Infantino? Since the days of Dante Alighieri, the saying “Let us not speak of them, but look and pass” has been famous — and while the crisis of Italian football is real, it certainly shouldn’t be the mockery of the worst FIFA president in history that wounds its pride.

Indeed, many will remember that the affair which first removed Blatter and then Platini (who was set to become FIFA president in Blatter’s place) from the race for world football’s top job eventually ended, years later, with both being acquitted of the infamous fraud accusations.

FIFA — which, conveniently, ended up being presided over by Infantino thanks to the exclusion of both the sitting president and the man poised to replace him — was forced to compensate both Platini and Blatter. Meanwhile, the Italian‑Swiss “Mr. Clean” has spent a decade running the system, accumulating political accusations and maintaining relationships with certain federations that can only be described as murky.

Rather than cracking jokes, Infantino would do well to ask himself what role his beloved Inter — a club he has never denied supporting, quite inappropriately for someone in his position — has played in the deep decline of Italian football.

Michel Platini has already announced legal action against the current FIFA president over the shadowy events that prevented him, ten years ago, from running for the presidency. And who knows — this summer might turn out to be the most memorable one yet.

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