Fulvio Collovati, a triumphant member of Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning squad, has vehemently criticized FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding the newly expanded 48-team World Cup format. Collovati accuses the FIFA chief of placing commercial interests above sporting integrity and urges him to show more respect towards Italian football.
The former Inter Milan and AC Milan defender did not hold back in his assessment of both Infantino’s recent remarks about Italy’s failure to qualify and the caliber of some nations participating in the tournament.
“Infantino should be ashamed,” Collovati stated, as reported by FCInter1908.
“He acts like a friend to Italian footballers, only to then deliver such low blows. If he wishes to criticize Italian football, he should do so directly and openly.”
Collovati expressed skepticism about Infantino’s suggestion that Italy might have qualified if the tournament had been expanded to 64 teams.
“Jokes that fail to amuse are not jokes at all,” he remarked. “Given his Swiss citizenship, perhaps he should try making jokes with the Swiss next time.”
However, his most scathing critique was reserved for the expanded World Cup format itself. “The real joke, if anything, is the 48-team World Cup, which includes national teams that do not genuinely play football,” he declared.
“I was commentating on the Mexico vs. South Africa match on the radio, and frankly, at my age, I believe I could have played for South Africa. On Sunday, I’ll be covering Germany vs. Curacao, and I anticipate a similar level of play.”
Journalist Alessandro Alciato later added another layer of controversy by bringing up a past statement from Collovati suggesting that women are incapable of understanding football tactics, serving as a reminder that the former defender has also faced criticism in recent years.