Gianni Infantino, Chairman of the FIFA, does not mince words when asked about the possibility that theItaly qualify for the next World Cup: “I have been FIFA president for two World Cups. Italy has not qualified for two World Cups. What do you want me to tell you? Get a move on.”
A joke that sounds like a dig at Italian football, which since 2018 has been unable to get a ticket to the top international competition, despite the triumph at Euro 2020. Infantino then recalled the glorious history of the Azzurri: “Italy has won four World Cups, you decide.”
The FIFA number one then responded to the controversies of some players, such as Rodri, who have criticized the increasingly busy schedule and the new Club World Cup, a competition which will see the participation of Inter and Juventus. “I think the Club World Cup is a wonderful competition. It will give opportunities to teams from all over the world that normally cannot shine at an international level. It lasts a month and replaces the old Confederations Cup, which by then made little sense. This tournament, however, has much more.”
Infantino also highlighted FIFA's marginal role in the overall management of the football calendar: “We are responsible for less than 1% of the games played in the world. If there is an overload problem, go and ask whoever organizes the other 99%.”
Infantino finally defended the new format, highlighting how it could represent an opportunity for great champions who, with their national teams, would hardly be able to compete for a world title: “I recently spoke with Haaland and other extraordinary players. For them, winning a World Cup with their national team is almost impossible. But with the club they can win a world title, which is still an extraordinary achievement for both them and their country.”
Article published on 3 February 2025 - 17:49
