Keypoints:
- Figo demands Infantino’s immediate resignation
- Former superstar brings governance experience
- Africa’s 54 associations hold significant influence
PORTUGAL great Luís Figo has demanded the immediate resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing him of deceitful and self-interested conduct after a controversial proposal involving commercial rights to major FIFA competitions collapsed.
Figo’s intervention carries unusual weight because he is not merely a retired player commenting from the sidelines. He was one of football’s biggest global stars, later entered the race to lead FIFA and now works as a football adviser to UEFA.
Who is Luís Figo?
For supporters who began following football during the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era, Figo was one of the global superstars who defined the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The Portuguese winger played for Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2000, was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and lifted the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2002. He also made 127 appearances for Portugal.
Figo was known for his close control, creativity and ability to change major matches from wide positions. His world-record move from Barcelona to fierce rivals Real Madrid in 2000 made him one of the most celebrated and controversial players of his time.
His standing now goes beyond those achievements. Figo entered the 2015 FIFA presidential contest before withdrawing and was appointed a UEFA football adviser in 2017. That gave him first-hand exposure to the politics and institutional power surrounding the global game.
Why is Figo demanding change?
Writing in the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper, Figo delivered a blistering assessment of Infantino’s leadership and called for the FIFA president to leave office immediately.
‘I have loved football all my life. I was a professional player for 20 years. And believe me, I have met some rogues in my time in the game.
‘But what I have seen exposed in the last 10 days is the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed.
‘The man who would do that — the man who would try to force through such major changes just to enrich himself and his friends — is a relic of the game’s past and should have no part in its future.
‘If it was such a good idea, why not tell your members when you had them all in a room before the World Cup final?
‘If it was such a robust plan, why not tell your members the risks as well as what you describe as the benefits?’
The attack followed the collapse of a proposal to create a commercial entity controlling rights linked to the men’s and women’s World Cups, the Club World Cup and other FIFA competitions. The plan involved selling a 20 percent stake to private investors in a deal valued at about $4.2bn.
The proposal was withdrawn amid a backlash led by UEFA, with CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also backing the European governing body’s position.
Figo alleged that the project lacked transparency and had been designed to enrich Infantino and people close to him. Those are Figo’s allegations and have not been established as independent findings.
His language was unusually severe for a former player who remains involved in football administration. Figo ended his intervention with an uncompromising demand: ‘He should go. Now.’
Why does Figo’s voice carry weight?
Figo’s criticism matters because he has experienced football as an elite player, commercial figure, football adviser and former FIFA presidential candidate. His 2015 campaign also exposed him directly to FIFA’s election politics.
For younger fans, the significance is straightforward: this is a former Ballon d’Or winner who stood at the summit of the sport and later tried to lead its most powerful institution.
His comments turn a complicated governance dispute into a direct question about trust, accountability and who should control football’s future wealth.
Why Africa should pay attention
Africa’s 54 national associations form one of FIFA’s largest voting blocs. Morocco’s football federation has publicly maintained its support for Infantino, while associations across Africa and Asia could influence whether he survives the pressure.
The dispute confronts African federations with questions about development funding, transparency and control of future football revenues.
Those issues are increasingly important as Africa gains greater World Cup representation its major competitions attract more valuable commercial agreements.
For young African supporters, this is not remote boardroom politics. Decisions over FIFA’s leadership and commercial assets can shape tournament income, grassroots investment and the accountability of officials governing the world’s most popular sport.
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