Former UEFA president Michel Platini has called for the removal of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing the world football governing body’s leader of repeatedly failing to uphold the rules of the game.
Platini, who served as UEFA president before Infantino succeeded him as FIFA chief in 2016, said Infantino had lost the moral authority to remain in charge of world football.
Speaking to Canal+ on Sunday, the French football legend criticised several controversies surrounding the recently concluded World Cup in North America, as well as Infantino’s handling of FIFA’s financial affairs.
“Economic affairs are one thing but Infantino has failed because he is the guarantor of the rules of the game and he didn’t respect them,” Platini said.
He specifically criticised the hydration breaks during matches, which sometimes lasted up to four minutes and were reportedly used by the host broadcaster for advertising purposes.
Platini also questioned the extended half-time interval during the World Cup final, which he said exceeded the stipulated 15-minute period.
He further cited the controversy surrounding FIFA’s decision to suspend the red-card ban handed to United States forward Folarin Balogun following a telephone conversation between Infantino and US President Donald Trump.
“The ad breaks are not in the rules, the 30-minute half-time break in the final is not in the rules, and the red card, that’s the worst,” Platini said.
“He’s the guarantor of the rules, he doesn’t respect them, he must go.”
Infantino has also faced criticism over a now-aborted plan to attract private investment into FIFA events through FIFA Forward Enterprises.
UEFA reportedly threatened to boycott FIFA competitions unless the plan was withdrawn, while the European governing body accused Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” over the proposed private financing arrangement.
Pressure on the FIFA president has also reportedly grown from other football confederations, including CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, as he prepares to seek re-election in March.
Platini, however, said football institutions alone were unlikely to force Infantino from office.
“It won’t be sporting institutions that sort this out and bring him down,” he said.
“If UEFA want to bring down Infantino, it will be through the courts.”
Platini, who has a long-running legal dispute with Infantino, added: “I always knew that he loved money and power.”
The former France international was himself forced out of football leadership in 2015 after becoming embroiled in a corruption scandal while seeking to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.
Platini was accused of receiving an illegal $2 million payment from Blatter. He was eventually acquitted of wrongdoing in 2025, but the controversy had already ended his bid for FIFA’s presidency and paved the way for Infantino’s election in 2016.
Platini is now suing Infantino, as well as former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala, in France.
The case seeks compensation for what Platini describes as damages caused by alleged tactics used to prevent him from becoming FIFA president in 2015.
He has accused the trio of involvement in a “criminal conspiracy to commit false accusation,” as well as alleged influence peddling and aiding and abetting influence peddling.
