Players demand Gianni Infantino resign as Fifa president

A collection of prominent footballers, both active and retired, has thrown its weight behind mounting criticism of Gianni Infantino, circulating a joint statement across social media demanding change at the top of Fifa. The message, which spread rapidly over the weekend, captures growing frustration within the game over how the governing body is being run.

• Current and former players sign a statement calling for leadership change at Fifa.
• Several signatories serve as ambassadors under Fifa's own 'Fifa Legends' scheme.
• Lucy Bronze, David James and Emmanuel Petit are among those sharing the statement.
• Samuel Eto'o, president of Cameroon's football federation, publicly defends Infantino.
• The backlash follows Infantino's failed attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup.

What the players' statement against Infantino says

Written in the collective first person, the statement claims the players share the same concerns as millions of fans who have watched football drift away from its core values under the current leadership. The signatories argue that major decisions have repeatedly been made without consulting players or considering the fans who ultimately sustain the sport financially and emotionally.

We share the exact same concerns as the millions of fans around the world. Power has blurred the current leadership's ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football.

The statement goes beyond criticism, sketching out a vision for reform. It calls for a genuine restructuring that would give both players and supporters a direct say in how the game is governed, while acknowledging that good people remain within Fifa who genuinely want to rebuild trust in the institution.

Who is behind the pressure campaign on Infantino

What makes this intervention particularly striking is who is driving it. Mikaël Silvestre, the former Manchester United and Arsenal defender, is not a random critic: he sits on Fifa's own 16-member players' voice panel, set up to support anti-racism initiatives, and has previously taken part in ambassadorial work through the Fifa Legends programme. Having someone with those institutional ties publicly join the criticism adds an awkward layer for Infantino.

The statement has also been shared by high-profile names including England defender Lucy Bronze, one of the most decorated figures in the women's game, former England goalkeeper David James, and Emmanuel Petit, a World Cup winner with France in 1998. More signatories are expected to follow in what looks like a coordinated response to Infantino's botched attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup.

How Infantino is responding to the growing pressure

Despite the mounting criticism, Infantino has shown no sign of stepping back. While the statement was gaining traction online, the Fifa president spent his weekend at a youth tournament in the Dominican Republic, in what appeared to be an effort to shore up support among smaller Caribbean member associations whose votes could prove crucial to his political future.

Samuel Eto'o defends the Fifa president

Not everyone in the game is lining up against Infantino. Samuel Eto'o, the former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea forward who now presides over Cameroon's football federation, has publicly backed him. Speaking to CNN, Eto'o insisted the Fifa chief had done nothing wrong and suggested the wave of criticism was purely a byproduct of the upcoming presidential election.

Eto'o went further, calling for the Fifa Forward Enterprise programme to be reinstated once Infantino secures re-election in March. He argued that the funding scheme would help rebalance power within world football and stop African nations from losing their top talent to rival national teams.

I don't think Infantino has done anything wrong. All of this has happened because there's an election coming up, that's all there is.

What is at stake in Fifa's presidential election

All of this unfolds against the backdrop of Fifa's presidential election scheduled for March, in which Infantino is expected to seek another term. The players' intervention comes at a particularly sensitive moment, following the collapse of his plan to sell World Cup equity stakes, a project that stirred unease both inside and outside the organisation. Together, the two episodes have reignited debate over how football is governed and what role players and supporters should ultimately play in shaping its future.