Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter criticized his successor, Gianni Infantino, in a sharply worded post on X on Friday, drawing parallels between football governance and the Catholic Church after the governing body dropped plans to bring private investors into the World Cup.
Sepp Blatter Targets Gianni Infantino Over Zurich Meeting
Gianni Infantino faced immediate skepticism from leadership across the sport, including the presidents of the English and German football associations, following a recent FIFA executive council meeting in Zurich where plans to open the tournament to outside private investment were discussed and subsequently shelved. To address the fallout, Infantino issued a public apology for errors in the handling and communication of the project, acknowledging that the misstep created widespread consequences across international football.
In light of recent events surrounding Gianni Infantino, we are resharing our exclusive – and candid – interview with Sepp Blatter from December 2025.“It is a wonderful game, social, cultural – it can be economic – but it’s for the world. Because it’s the most popular game in… pic.twitter.com/2BlZsAoXkd”
Rather than accepting the apology, Sepp Blatter used social media on Friday to mock the current FIFA leadership. Writing in both English and German to broaden his reach, the 90-year-old former administrator targeted Infantino directly following the executive gathering in Switzerland. Gianni Infantino, the plus grand! A breathtaking performance in Zurich: Infantino, seemingly a good Catholic, first confesses his sins and then promises 25 million. Confession, indulgence and absolution in all in a single appearance!
Blatter wrote. The Pope would love that. But in football as in the Church: credibility cannot be bought.
Past Criticisms of World Cup Credibility
The latest social media rebuke follows previous public criticism from the former Swiss administrator regarding the direction of major international tournaments. Following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, Blatter claimed the competition had lost its standing during the run-up to the final match. The longest World Cup has ended – with fine champions. But on the way to the final whistle, the tournament lost its credibility,
he stated at the conclusion of that tournament.
Infantino attempted to smooth over relations with national federations during the Zurich meetings by addressing the communication failures directly. First of all, I want to say that we apologize for the mistakes made in the conduct and communication
of the investment proposal, Infantino told the council, noting the severe friction the initiative caused among member associations.
