The short circuit of the FIGC’s position against the FIFA president denied by the distinctions of Serie A and the endorsements of our (former) stars.
Looking at it from the outside, the overall picture must not have been easy to interpret for an external observer. In the hours in which the FIGC formalized the full and definitive no-confidence in Gianni Infantino, putting in black and white the support withdrawn for the race for the third term as president of FIFA (elections scheduled for March 2027, if Infantino gets there), parts of Italian football slipped away or highlighted different points of view.
Either for internal political issues, as in the case of the Lega Serie A through the mouth of its number one Enzo Maria Simonelli, or for friendship and closeness to Infantino. Javier Zanetti, Francesco Totti, Fabio Cannavaro, Christian Vieri, Marco Materazzi but also Esteban Cambiasso did it in rapid succession who, like Zanetti, is Argentine but perceived as part of the Italian movement due to his past at Inter.
The text of the pro-Infantino letter from Zanetti and the others
“Over the last 10 years, we have witnessed the commitment of FIFA and Gianni Infantino to ensure that footballers are represented in the world of football, something that did not exist before” reads the identical message posted by Zanetti, Cambiasso and other former top players of Italian and world football: “Footballers and former footballers, through their involvement in committees, projects and working groups, now have a voice and a real role in sport. Our opinions are listened to and many initiatives benefit football they are the direct result of our contributions, ideas, planning and active participation.”
And again: “We have seen firsthand how football changes lives, improves societies and brings more opportunities to people all over the world,” continues the note. “We will continue to support the significant evolution that has defined the sport over the past 10 years, allowing it to continue to benefit every nation that plays football.”
Cannavaro is even more direct: “In the last 10 years, world football has improved. In the last 10 years, male and female footballers have returned to the center. In the last 10 years, Gianni Infantino, as president of FIFA, has done a great job. Not recognizing this would be intellectually incorrect, as well as a serious stretch.” Similar messages multiplied in a shower of endorsements for Infantino that occupied social media for several hours.
Italy against Infantino, but without unity
In the Italian case, however, the short circuit was immediate also because the letters of support to the FIFA number one from the exes, involved for years by Infantino in the project of Legends and at his side on many public occasions, guests of Zurich also in the stands of the American stadiums during the last and much discussed World Cup, they simultaneously arrived at the distinction with which the president of the Lega Serie A, Ezio Maria Simonelli, welcomed the FIGC statement on the choice of field in view of the elections.
Simonelli lamented Malagò’s lack of collegiality in deciding to take an official position, once again highlighting Serie A’s stomach ache towards the new head of football: after having nominated him and had him elected, the clubs expected to count for more, but already in the management of the national coach affair they felt left out.
It is not on record that the Lega Serie A wanted a different positioning of the FIGC on the Infantino case, also because it would have meant going against UEFA and all the other federations of the Old Continent which march unitedly asking for a step back from Infantino. However, the overall image was one of improvisation, chaos and lack of unity. With the added paradox of Zanetti expressing his personal opinion, but being vice president of Federal Councilor Beppe Marotta’s Inter, he created quite a bit of embarrassment.
Zanetti’s position certainly did not and does not commit Inter, but the asymmetry of the evaluation and the choice of the moment could not go unnoticed. A situation also noticed by many Nerazzurri fans. They didn’t take it well and it was the least that could have happened.
