Three former Argentina players spark big controversy with their posts about FIFA and Gianni Infantino.
Former Argentina stars Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti, and Javier Pastore have surprised many by openly supporting FIFA President Gianni Infantino on social media.
Infantino is still leading FIFA, even though many people have asked him to step down after the controversial plan to sell a 21% stake in FIFA competitions to private investors. This idea, called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), faced strong criticism from groups like UEFA and the Football Association and was eventually dropped.
Since then, some FIFA member associations have pulled their support from Infantino ahead of the next FIFA presidential vote in March 2027. But he still has strong backing, especially from African, South American, and Oceania football groups, who showed support for him at a meeting in Morocco earlier this month.
On the other hand, a group of current and former players, including 1998 World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit, spoke out on August 24, calling for change. They said, “We share the same worries as fans around the world. We’ve seen football drift away from its values under FIFA’s leadership. Decisions are made without asking players or considering fans. Change is needed—enough is enough.”
Not everyone agrees, though. Samuel Eto’o, former star and current president of the Cameroonian football federation, defended Infantino, saying, “This controversy is just because an election is coming up. Once Infantino is re-elected, we can talk about the project again. I believe it will be accepted because it’s good for most people.”
Now, Cambiasso, Pastore, and Zanetti have posted their own messages supporting Infantino. Their statement, translated from Spanish, said, “Over the last decade, we’ve seen FIFA and President Infantino help players have a real voice in football—a role we didn’t have before. Players now take part in committees and projects, and our ideas are helping shape the game for the better.”
Zanetti added, “We’ve seen how football can change lives and improve communities worldwide. We want to keep bringing hope to people everywhere. We support the amazing progress football has made over the past ten years and want to keep it going for everyone who loves the sport.”
Zanetti is currently vice-president of Inter Milan, Cambiasso works with FIFA’s Technical Study Group, and Pastore leads The Elegant Game agency, representing players like Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez.