The five dramatic days that shook Infantino and world football

Gianni Infantino's reputation has taken a significant hit after a private investment plan for world football collapsed within days, prompting UEFA to declare it had "lost confidence" in his leadership. The European football governing body issued a scathing statement, calling the proposals "shabby" and involving "secret schemes," marking one of the most severe criticisms ever leveled against the FIFA president.

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The current Fifa leadership has not only lost Uefa's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.

The dramatic events echo the 2021 European Super League (ESL) saga, a proposed breakaway competition that quickly unraveled amid widespread condemnation. While Infantino's plan lacked a catchy title and lasted only slightly longer than the ESL, its fallout is expected to linger. Despite FIFA confirming the withdrawal of the proposal on Saturday, the controversy has exposed deep-seated issues within the governance of the sport.

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When Gianni Infantino asked for the trust and the votes of Fifa's member associations to elect him as their president in 2016, he said: 'Of course we have to be transparent.'

Football operates as a massive, money-making enterprise, with players and executives earning vast sums far beyond the reach of ordinary fans. The core question surrounding Infantino's plan was its necessity, especially since FIFA, a not-for-profit organization, boasts over $2 billion in financial reserves and anticipates record revenues of approximately $15 billion from the recent World Cup. Many questioned why private investment was sought, particularly when some nations did not require the additional $40 million offered for development initiatives.

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He told the assembled stakeholders: 'The money of Fifa is your money. It's not the money of the Fifa president. You are the national associations and the money of Fifa has to serve for the development of football and not for anything else.'

Crucially, many senior FIFA officials, including vice-presidents and executives, were reportedly unaware of the plans until they became public. UEFA had voiced strong opposition from the outset. In its statement, UEFA highlighted Infantino's 2016 presidential campaign promises of transparency and ensuring FIFA's money served football development, asserting that he had failed on both counts. The situation underscores a significant trust deficit and governance concerns within the global football hierarchy.

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On both these promises, he has failed to deliver.