Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has urged the football community to remove Gianni Infantino from his position, asserting that the recent World Cup has “lost its credibility” due to the actions of Infantino.

Blatter, whose own tenure as Fifa president was marred by corruption allegations, emphasized that “politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game.” His comments appeared to refer to Infantino’s close ties with former U.S. president Donald Trump, which led to the controversial overturning of USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension following a red card against Bosnia.

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After Trump contacted Infantino regarding Balogun’s situation, FIFA unexpectedly suspended the ban for a year, allowing the forward to participate in the last-16 match against Belgium, where the U.S. suffered a 4-1 defeat.

Reflecting on the conclusion of the World Cup, which saw Spain defeating Argentina 1-0 in a contentious final, Blatter expressed disappointment. He commented, “The longest World Cup has come to an end – with the right champions. But on the way to the final whistle, the tournament had lost its credibility.”

“Politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game. Now it is up to the fans, players, and national associations to reclaim football and bring it back to its roots under new leadership.”

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Blatter’s sentiment was further conveyed through a series of hashtags, including ‘Fifa half-time show’, ‘Donald Trump’, and ‘Gianni Infantino’.

Blatter is not the only critic of Infantino’s leadership. LaLiga president Javier Tebas has also criticized the recent Balogun incident.

“The suspension of the American player’s ban is an extremely serious matter,” Tebas stated in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

If the U.S. had progressed further, Tebas warned that it could have posed a significant issue for Infantino. “They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the U.S. because otherwise a case could have arisen that might have cost Infantino his job. Since Belgium won, they managed to bury the matter. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg.”

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Tebas also expressed concern that FIFA is “destroying the football industry” by expanding international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues.

When asked about Infantino’s potential departure, Tebas replied, “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up.”

Infantino previously indicated in April that he aims to seek re-election for a fourth term as FIFA president, with the vote for the 2027-2031 cycle set for March 18 in Morocco. Although he might run unopposed, the potential for other candidates to emerge is low.

Tebas remarked, “He shouldn’t stay, but the current state of affairs means he won’t leave. There’s no opposition candidate; no one wants to run to lose.”

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Tebas described the system as fundamentally flawed, acknowledging widespread discontent over Infantino’s direction, yet noting a lack of action on the part of critics.

Notable voices challenging Infantino also include Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, who did not attend the World Cup final amid numerous disagreements with FIFA regarding disciplinary measures, officiating, and match operations.

Additional reporting by Reuters