Enough Is Enough! Football Legends Issue Joint Statement Strongly Criticizing FIFA President Infantino

On August 25 Beijing time, a group of football legends, including Robert Pires and Juan Sebastian Veron, issued a major statement, declaring “Enough, this cannot continue,” and accusing football of having lost its core values during Infantino’s leadership of FIFA.

The Swiss FIFA president is now caught in a storm of public criticism: controversies surrounding the North American World Cup continue, while plans to sell World Cup event equity at high prices to external parties have also drawn significant criticism. Just a few weeks ago, Infantino announced a reform plan called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The plan quickly faced strong opposition from fans and football associations across various continents. UEFA even warned that if the plan were implemented, it would boycott FIFA’s top-level competitions.

Under pressure, the FFE plan was ultimately completely canceled. Infantino has been traveling extensively, attempting to repair cooperation relationships around the world that had already broken down. However, a group of football legends has now decided to step forward and change the situation, unwilling to watch the sport lose its original purpose while remaining silent.

The joint statement, published on social media, said: “As players, football has given us everything, and we have dedicated our lives to it. We once stood on football’s biggest stages, wearing our national team shirts and filled with glory. But we understand that without the fans, none of our achievements would have been possible. The passion and commitment of fans are the foundation of this sport. We share exactly the same concerns as millions of fans around the world. Like them, we have watched the football we love gradually move away from its core values under FIFA’s current leadership. For a long time, many major decisions have been made without consulting players and without considering the vast number of fans who support this sport. Change is inevitable. Power has blinded the current leadership, making them unable to distinguish personal interests from the true well-being of football. A series of recent events has made it impossible for us to remain silent any longer. Enough is enough.”