Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has called for the football community to remove Gianni Infantino from his role, asserting that the recent World Cup “lost its credibility” due to Infantino's actions. Blatter, whose tenure was marred by corruption allegations, emphasized that “politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game.” This remark appears to target Infantino's close ties with US president Donald Trump, particularly regarding the overturning of Folarin Balogun’s red card ban.

In a controversial move, Trump urged Infantino to reconsider Balogun’s suspension, which was subsequently lifted for a year, allowing him to participate in the last-16 match against Belgium, where the US suffered a 4-1 defeat.

Reflecting on the World Cup, which ended with Spain defeating Argentina 1-0, Blatter expressed his dissatisfaction on social media, stating:

“The longest World Cup has come to an end – with the right champions... the tournament had lost its credibility.”

He called on fans, players, and national associations to reclaim football under new leadership, using hashtags like ‘#FifaHalfTimeShow’ and ‘#DonaldTrump’.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas echoed Blatter’s sentiments, criticizing Infantino over the Balogun incident. He described the suspension's overturn as “an extremely serious matter” and suggested that had the US progressed further, it could have jeopardized Infantino’s position. Tebas believes Fifa is “destroying the football industry” through its expansion efforts, undermining domestic leagues.

When asked about Infantino's future, Tebas stated, “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up,” highlighting a lack of opposition candidates for the upcoming election scheduled for 18 March in Morocco. He lamented the flawed system that allows Infantino to remain unchallenged despite widespread criticism.

Tebas and Blatter are not alone in their dissent; Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin also skipped the World Cup final amidst ongoing disputes between Uefa and Fifa over various operational issues.