In a candid interview with The Guardian, former UEFA President Michel Platini delivered a damning assessment of current FIFA leader Gianni Infantino, accusing him of autocratic tendencies and an excessive focus on cultivating relationships with the wealthy and powerful.
Platini, who previously served as Infantino’s superior at European football’s governing body from 2009 to 2015, characterized the FIFA president’s leadership style as fundamentally flawed. “He was a good number two, but is not a good number one,” Platini stated, highlighting what he perceives as Infantino’s problematic attraction to moneyed influence. “He likes the rich and powerful people, the ones with money. It’s his character.”
The French football legend specifically pointed to the pandemic period as a turning point, noting that “Unfortunately Infantino has become more of an autocrat since the pandemic.” This criticism extends to Infantino’s cultivation of high-profile relationships, including his close ties with former US President Donald Trump, whom Infantino awarded a special FIFA peace prize during the World Cup draw ceremony in December ahead of the 2026 tournament across North America.
Platini offered a surprising comparative analysis of FIFA’s governance, suggesting the organization under Infantino has become less democratic than during the scandal-plagued era of Sepp Blatter. “There is less democracy than in Blatter’s time,” Platini claimed, acknowledging Blatter’s problematic desire to remain president for life while simultaneously characterizing him as “a good person for football.”
The former Juventus and French national team star also expressed broader concerns about modern football administration, noting that many current officials lack genuine passion for the sport. “You find many who wouldn’t care whether it’s football or basketball. It’s not always a case of loving football if you work at UEFA or FIFA.”
Platini’s criticism stems from longstanding tensions between the two administrators, including his belief that Infantino undermined his FIFA presidential ambitions by alerting Swiss prosecutors about a controversial $2.5 million payment from Blatter to Platini that ultimately derailed both of their careers.