Fulvio Collovati, a triumphant member of Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning squad, has vehemently condemned FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding the newly expanded 48-team World Cup format. Collovati accuses Infantino of placing commercial interests above the integrity of the sport and has urged the FIFA chief to demonstrate greater respect towards Italian football.
The former Inter Milan and AC Milan defender was particularly critical of Infantino’s recent remarks concerning Italy’s absence from the tournament and the caliber of some participating nations.
“Infantino should be ashamed,” Collovati stated, as reported by FCInter1908. “He initially portrays himself as a friend to Italian footballers, only to deliver such harsh criticisms later. If he intends to criticize Italian football, he should do so directly and openly.”
Collovati Questions Infantino and the World Cup Format After Observing Matches
Collovati dismissed Infantino’s suggestion that Italy might qualify if the tournament were to be expanded to 64 teams.
“Jokes that fail to elicit laughter are not jokes at all,” he remarked. “Given his Swiss nationality, perhaps he should direct his humor towards the Swiss next time.”
However, his most severe condemnation was reserved for the tournament’s format itself. “If anything is a joke, it’s the 48-team World Cup, featuring national teams that do not truly play football,” he declared.
“I was commenting on the Mexico vs. South Africa match on the radio, and honestly, at my age, I felt I could have participated on the field for South Africa. I will be commenting on Germany vs. Curacao on Sunday, and I anticipate a similar disparity in quality.”
Adding another layer to the controversy, journalist Alessandro Alciato brought to light a past statement from Collovati where he suggested that women cannot grasp football tactics, serving as a reminder that the former defender has also faced criticism for his own remarks.
