Former Bayern Munich and Germany captain Philipp Lahm has launched a fresh attack on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing him of 'selling out' the World Cup and robbing football of credibility. In a column for German newspaper Die Zeit, Lahm singled out Infantino's relationship with US President Donald Trump as 'most worrying'.
Lahm's Accusations Against Infantino
Lahm, 42, wrote: 'Most worrying is Gianni Infantino's proximity to rulers like Donald Trump. There is a suspicion that they derive personal advantages from their offices. The World Cup is being sold. That robs football of credibility.' He added that this leads to 'discomfort of the fans, for whom it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate FIFA on the one hand from the event on the other.'
This is not the first time Lahm has criticised Infantino. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Lahm stated that Infantino 'simply does not have integrity' and 'is not looking for the best solution in the interests of football' but rather 'takes advantage of the game'. Lahm's stance has remained unchanged over the three-and-a-half years since.
Criticism of World Cup Award Process
Lahm also criticised FIFA for not providing 'honest information about the true demand' of tickets to maximise prices and opposed the idea of a biennial World Cup. He referenced the controversial awarding of the 2022 tournament to Qatar, saying: 'It's about the fact that the child fell into the well twelve years ago, when this tournament was awarded to Qatar under shady, strangest circumstances. Infantino does not give the impression that he wants to change anything.'
In a separate column for RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Lahm wrote: 'FIFA has lost further credibility because of the highest representative. One has the impression more and more that Gianni Infantino is not looking for the best solution in the interests of football and that he simply does not have integrity.' He called for a 'reasonable, transparent award procedure in the future' to restore trust.
Impact on Football's Reputation
Lahm emphasised that football is 'a perfect means for humanity to negotiate their coexistence' but is being 'tugged at by figures who have something else in mind, something shady'. He concluded that the problem lies with FIFA as an institution, not the sport itself, and change can only come through transparent processes.
