Gianni Infantino’s Trump connection damages football, says ex-FIFA chief
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has publicly criticised his successor Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump following allegations that a Trump-linked investment group wants to purchase the global football governing body outright.
The Swiss administrator took to social media platform X on Tuesday to condemn the growing political and financial ties between Infantino and Trump. Blatter claimed their relationship has escalated to a level that actively threatens the integrity of the sport.
He concluded the post with a series of tags including the word sellout.
The close relationship between the FIFA President and the US President has reached a financial dimension that is deeply damaging football. No one has the right to sell our game. #GianniInfantino #DonaldTrump #FIFA #UEFA #USA #Sellout
— Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) July 28, 2026
Blatter’s comments arrived amid ongoing scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership. The current FIFA president frequently faces controversies regarding the rapid commercialisation and expansion of global football tournaments.
Fans highlight past hypocrisy
The online statement drew immediate reaction from football supporters worldwide. While his post quickly accumulated more than 33,000 likes within a few hours, users immediately highlighted the irony of his moral stance given his own highly controversial tenure.
Blatter led FIFA from 1998 to 2015 before stepping down amid massive corruption scandals and sexual assault allegations that fundamentally tarnished the organisation. Consequently, many supporters dismissed his right to lecture the current administration on ethics.
Social media users quickly reminded Blatter of his past transgressions. One user sarcastically praised the subtlety and nuance of his administration gifting the World Cup hosting rights to Qatar.
Another commenter took a more direct approach, telling the former president that Infantino would never have secured the leadership role if Blatter had not cultivated a culture of illicit behaviour. They noted that the institutional rot started under his watch before the current regime allegedly accelerated it.
A third fan simply joked that football needed Blatter back because his corruption was much better hidden.
