Infantino sparks outrage with comments, to receive call from Italian minister

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has once again stirred controversy, this time in Italy, with remarks perceived as dismissive of the four-time world champions' recent struggles in World Cup qualifying. His comments, made during an interview with Brazilian television channel CazéTV, touched upon the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams.

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Perhaps Italy would qualify for the World Cup with 64 teams. Or we can go up to 228 teams.

Infantino quipped that perhaps Italy would qualify for a 64-team tournament, adding, "Or we can go up to 228 teams." This observation particularly stung given that FIFA has 211 member nations, and Italy, despite its rich footballing history and four World Cup titles, has not qualified for the tournament since 2014.

According to the Italian news agency Ansa, Italy's Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi, expressed his displeasure with Infantino's words and announced his intention to speak with the FIFA president. "Given the great distance between Italy and Mexico, a phone call, depending on his schedule, is the best option to clarify the situation. I am interested in what he thinks," Abodi stated.

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Given the great distance between Italy and Mexico, a phone call, depending on his schedule, is the best option to clarify the situation. I am interested in what he thinks.

This is not the first time Infantino has generated controversy shortly before a major tournament. During a press conference before the World Cup, he urged people to "calm down and relax" when questioned about a Somali referee denied entry to the US. Infantino has once again managed to shift focus to his statements, overshadowing the initial stages of the tournament. In Italy, where the disappointment of missing two consecutive World Cups remains raw, his remarks were met with little understanding.

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Calm down and relax.