Gianni Infantino has received public backing from a group of high-profile former players, with Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso, Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Materazzi and Christian Vieri among those signing letters of support ahead of the FIFA presidential elections.
Zanetti, Cambiasso and Javier Pastore published a joint letter on social media praising the direction FIFA has taken under its current president and highlighting the access granted to players.
“Over the last 10 years, we have witnessed the commitment of FIFA and Gianni Infantino to ensuring that footballers are represented in the world of football, something that did not exist before,” the letter reads, via SportMediaset.
“Players and former players, through their involvement in committees, projects and working groups, now have a voice and a real role in the sport. Our opinions are listened to and many initiatives benefiting football are the direct result of our contributions, ideas, planning and active participation.”
Zanetti and Cambiasso no surprise on Infantino due to FIFA positions
The endorsements are not entirely disinterested. Zanetti has served as vice-president of FIFA’s Social Responsibility Committee since last year, a post that runs to 2029, while Cambiasso sits on the organisation’s Technical Study Group. Pastore holds no formal role and shared the message in full regardless.
Cannavaro, now Uzbekistan head coach, and Materazzi went further in a separate statement. “Over the last 10 years, world football has improved,” the 2006 World Cup winners said. “Over the last 10 years, male and female players have returned to the centre. Over the last 10 years, Gianni Infantino, as FIFA president, has done a great job. Not to recognise it would be intellectually dishonest, as well as a serious distortion.”
The intervention arrives at a difficult political moment for Infantino, with FIFA shaken by the controversy over his proposal to finance World Cups through private equity and by a number of executive resignations.
It also follows criticism from other FIFA Legends, with Juan Sebastian Veron, Robert Pires and Mikael Silvestre having issued a message calling for change. In Italy, the FIGC withdrew its support for Infantino’s candidacy this week, prompting Serie A Lega president Ezio Simonelli to say publicly that he would have taken more time over the decision.
