Players Call for FIFA Leadership Change as Pressure Mounts on Infantino

A group of influential current and former footballers has called for a change in FIFA leadership, increasing the pressure on president Gianni Infantino. The Guardian reported on Monday that the players circulated a joint statement saying recent events had made it impossible for them to remain silent and that football needed a new direction at its governing body.

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The statement argued that major decisions under FIFA's current leadership had been made without sufficient consultation with players and without proper regard for supporters. Its signatories said players and fans should have a direct role in shaping how the sport is run, while maintaining that people already working inside FIFA could help rebuild trust under a structured leadership change.

According to The Guardian, the intervention carries additional weight because some of the people involved have worked with FIFA through its Legends ambassador programme. Former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre shared the statement and is also a member of FIFA's 16-person players' voice panel, which was created to support anti-racism work.

England defender Lucy Bronze, former England goalkeeper David James and France's 1998 World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit were also among those who shared the message, The Guardian reported. The newspaper said more signatories were expected to join the campaign, which followed Infantino's unsuccessful attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup.

Infantino has resisted demands that he step down. The Guardian reported that he attended a youth tournament in the Dominican Republic on Saturday as part of efforts to improve relations with smaller Caribbean member associations. Their backing could become important as FIFA approaches its presidential election next March.

Samuel Eto'o offered a contrasting view. The former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea striker, who now leads Cameroon's football federation, told CNN that he did not believe Infantino had done anything wrong and linked the controversy to the approaching election. Eto'o also backed renewed discussion of the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme if Infantino is re-elected, arguing that it could shift football's balance of power and help African countries retain leading players for their national teams.