Former professional footballer Mikaël Silvestre has publicly called for the resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, citing a series of controversial decisions and actions that have undermined his confidence in the organization’s leadership. Silvestre, who has worked with FIFA for nearly a decade through initiatives such as the Players Voice Panel and the FIFA Legends program, outlined a range of concerns that culminated in his decision to speak out.
Silvestre’s disenchantment with Infantino’s leadership began with the FIFA Congress held in Paraguay last year, where Infantino arrived days late due to prior engagements that included visits to the Gulf and meetings with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Silvestre described this as an initial alarm, pointing to what he viewed as misplaced priorities.
Further triggering his dissatisfaction was FIFA’s decision to award Trump a Peace Prize, an act Silvestre and others questioned on the grounds that FIFA, as a purportedly non-political organization, should avoid aligning with political figures. He also criticized the high ticket prices for the World Cup, describing them as prohibitive for many fans eager to attend what is considered the sport’s premier event.
Additional controversies involved disciplinary decisions during the tournament. Silvestre referred to the overruling of a red card ban for his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, which he suggested may have been influenced by sponsors and broadcasters seeking to maintain star player participation. Moreover, the lifting of a red card suspension for Folarin Balogun to enable him to play for the United States against Belgium drew significant concern. Reports indicated that this decision followed a phone call from Donald Trump to Infantino, though the FIFA president maintained that the disciplinary committee acted independently. Silvestre conveyed that many within FIFA were shocked by the revelation and perceived it as outside interference in the sport’s governance.
The final and most significant issue prompting Silvestre’s call for Infantino’s resignation was the disclosure of a plan to sell a 20 percent stake of the World Cup to private investors led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. This scheme, revealed in late July, suggested potential personal financial gain for Infantino and others close to him, raising serious questions about conflicts of interest and the commercialization of one of football’s most important assets.
Despite calls for Infantino’s resignation from football governing bodies including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf, the FIFA president has remained in his position. Silvestre stated that many within and outside FIFA had previously refrained from speaking out but that the accumulation of these issues showed a clear misdirection under the current leadership.
“I started questioning the direction the leadership was taking,” Silvestre said from his home in Rome. “When you see that kind of thing, it goes against the purpose of what it is supposed to represent.” He concluded that Infantino’s continuing leadership is untenable and that accountability is necessary to restore trust in FIFA.