Fifa president Infantino ‘must go’, says ex-Uefa boss Platini

Former Uefa president Michel Platini has called for Fifa president Gianni Infantino to step down amid a series of scandals engulfing the world football governing body. Infantino has faced criticism over his proposed private investment plan for World Cup events and other controversies during the recent World Cup in North America.

Platini, who was Uefa's secretary general under Infantino's leadership, accused Infantino of failing to respect the rules of the game and went on to criticize specific practices such as the so-called hydration breaks which would often last up to four minutes and were used by the host broadcaster for advertisements. The French football legend also pointed to the half-time show during the final that exceeded the required 15-minute limit and the backlash surrounding Infantino's decision to suspend the red card ban for American forward Folarin Balogun after a phone call from US President Donald Trump.

Platini emphasized that Infantino, as the guarantor of the rules, must adhere to them and expressed his belief that the Swiss-Italian would only be removed through legal means if Uefa decides to take action against him.