Luis Figo, the former captain of the Portugal national team, has urgently called for Gianni Infantino to step down from his position as FIFA president. Figo launched a strong critique of Infantino, who has faced controversy in his leadership role. In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday, Figo accused Infantino of misleading the football community and exploiting his role for personal gain.
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“Today, I join voices from across the football community in urging Gianni Infantino to step down as FIFA President,” stated Figo. He criticized Infantino for tarnishing the reputation of an office he pledged to enhance, accusing him of dishonesty and self-serving actions detrimental to the sport he was meant to support.
The ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona star emphasized that Infantino had alienated significant figures both within FIFA and the broader football landscape. “He has lost the backing of senior staff, close advisers, and the vast majority of those committed to the sport, including the FIFA Peace Prize laureate,” Figo remarked, hinting at U.S. President Donald Trump’s receipt of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from Infantino in December 2025.
Figo concluded his statement with a direct call for Infantino’s resignation. “While it may be too late for him to retain dignity, it’s not too late to save football. He must resign. Now,” he demanded, using the hashtag “#InfantinoOut”.
This statement comes during a heightened crisis at FIFA, exacerbated by the controversy surrounding Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative. This plan aimed to establish a new commercial entity and sell a 20% stake to private investors for approximately $4.2 billion but encountered strong opposition over issues of governance and transparency regarding FIFA’s valuable commercial and tournament assets.
Following pushback from various confederations and senior stakeholders within FIFA, Infantino ultimately scrapped the proposal. The ramifications of this decision linger, with Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor, resigning and labeling the plan “a bad deal for football.” Additionally, FIFA’s secretary general Mattias Grafstrom voiced concerns about the project’s management, and Arsene Wenger stated that withdrawing the proposal was “absolutely necessary”.
As Infantino met with FIFA officials in Morocco on Wednesday to address the ongoing crisis and secure support ahead of the upcoming presidential election, he reaffirmed his intention to run for re-election in 2027. Figo’s remarks mark one of the most significant criticisms from a prominent former player, as he explicitly called for Infantino’s immediate exit rather than merely opposing his continued presidency.
