Sepp Blatter says FIFA needs 'new leadership' after claiming World Cup lost credibility

Blatter, who led FIFA from 1998 until 2015 before Infantino took over the following year, has frequently criticised his successor in the decade since leaving office. The pair have endured a strained relationship, with Blatter previously claiming Infantino ignored his advice after taking charge and eventually stopped taking his phone calls altogether.

Now, following a World Cup overshadowed by controversy, Blatter has once again taken aim at FIFA's leadership.

"The longest World Cup has come to an end - with the right champions," he wrote on social media after Spain's 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in Sunday's final.

"But on the way to the final whistle, the tournament had lost its credibility.

"Politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game. Now it is up to the fans, players and national associations to reclaim football and bring it back to its roots under new leadership."

Blatter's criticism follows weeks of controversy surrounding FIFA and Infantino during the tournament, most notably the governing body's decision to overturn USA striker Folarin Balogun's suspension after US President Donald Trump reportedly urged Infantino to review the incident.

Balogun had been sent off against Bosnia and was due to miss the United States' last-16 clash with Belgium. However, FIFA suspended the one-match ban for a year, allowing the striker to feature before the hosts were eliminated.

Blatter condemned the decision at the time, arguing that politics had been allowed to interfere with football.

"Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls," he wrote. "They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies.

"If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President - and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match - the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power."

The Balogun decision was one of several issues that fuelled criticism of Infantino during the World Cup, alongside his close relationship with Trump, the extended halftime show during the final and broader concerns over the tournament's increasing commercialisation.

Blatter's latest remarks were backed by La Liga president Javier Tebas, who went a step further by saying Infantino should leave office.

"The suspension of the American player's ban was absolutely serious," Tebas told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the USA because otherwise a case could have arisen that might have cost Infantino his job. Since Belgium won, they managed to bury the matter. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg."

Asked whether Infantino should resign, Tebas replied: "In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up."

Despite the criticism, Infantino is expected to seek and likely secure a fourth term as FIFA president when elections for the 2027-2031 cycle are held in Morocco next March.

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