La Liga boss Tebas says Infantino must go — and warns replacing him alone will not fix Fifa

La Liga president Javier Tebas has declared that former Fifa president Gianni Infantino must step down, stating that his tenure has been detrimental to the sport. Tebas's comments come after Infantino's attempt to seek private investment in a company managing Fifa's competitions and selling World Cup stakes failed, leading to the plan's cancellation.

The former Fifa chief has faced mounting pressure from various football associations, including Uefa and the Football Association, to resign. This week, Uefa confirmed a departure payment made to a female employee alleged to have had a relationship with Infantino while he was general secretary, a claim the president denied.

In an interview with Le Monde, Tebas expressed his belief that Infantino's time as Fifa president has long since passed, attributing his criticism to more than just recent events. Tebas argued that Infantino's management style is detrimental to football and has damaged the sport's essence by focusing on the elite leagues rather than grassroots development. He emphasized that a genuine overhaul is necessary, rather than simply replacing individuals, to improve the sport's governance.

Fifa responded to the criticism, accusing those questioning Infantino's leadership of attempting to weaken his authority for him to be removed without a proper re-election process. The Mexico and Argentina national associations have also come out in support of Infantino. Despite Infantino's apology, a boycott of the World Cup remains a European threat.

Tebas acknowledged that the controversy is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of systemic issues within Fifa and football, calling for a new leader and proper governance to be established.