Pressure is mounting on FIFA president Gianni Infantino after a group of high-profile former footballers issued a formal statement calling for him to step down.
Former Manchester United and France defender Mikael Silvestre, who sits on FIFA's Players' Voice Panel, posted the statement on X on Monday, declaring "Enough is enough!" and calling for structural change within football's global governing body. The post was shared by 1998 France World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit and England forward Lucy Bronze.
The statement said the players "share the exact same concerns as the millions of fans around the world" and that they had "watched the game we love drift away from its core values under FIFA's current leadership."
It continued: "For too long we've seen major decisions taken without players being consulted or considered, and without any regard for the fans who sustain the sport. Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership's ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football."
"Recent events have made silence impossible. Enough is enough. We call on all stakeholders to step forward and help reshape the future of our sport," the statement added.
Players' Voice Panel involvement
Silvestre's intervention carries particular weight because it comes from within FIFA's own structures. The Players' Voice Panel is a 16-strong group formed by FIFA to monitor and advise on initiatives to tackle racism in the sport.
Infantino, 56, is also facing calls to quit from his UEFA counterpart, Aleksander Ceferin, after FIFA put forward a plan to sell stakes in a company that would run the World Cup to private investors. The proposal has proved hugely controversial within football.
Ronaldo's awkward meeting with Infantino
One of Silvestre's former Manchester United team-mates, Cristiano Ronaldo, crossed paths with Infantino recently in an encounter that many on social media said the Portuguese forward did not enjoy.
Ronaldo was filmed greeting Infantino at the Esports World Cup in Paris. After the pleasantries, the Al-Nassr forward appeared to grimace as he walked away.
After asking how he was, Infantino referenced Ronaldo's proximity to reaching 1,000 career goals, saying: "Twenty-three [goals] more, right? Good luck. Come on, come on."
Whether Infantino will still be in his post to see whether Ronaldo reaches that landmark remains unclear.
Ceferin's warning to Infantino
Ceferin has ruled himself out of standing against Infantino but told The Rest Is Politics podcast that his rival has two options.
"One option is that he realises that he doesn't have the support, and that's not only a political support of the ones who vote, but the political support of football community, the political support of fans, the political support of the players, former players, coaches," the Slovenian said.
"And the second option that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case, I think he will have a candidate against him. I don't know yet who."
Potential rival candidates
Victor Montagliani, the current president of CONCACAF and a FIFA vice-president, has been mentioned by some observers as a possible rival candidate. CONCACAF is the continental confederation representing countries across North and Central America and the Caribbean.
CONCACAF has already joined UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation in rejecting Infantino's private investor plan, with the presidents of those confederations describing it as a "deception" in an open letter published earlier this month.
Infantino spent the weekend in the Caribbean, attending a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic.
