Overview
- In a January 15 interview with The Guardian, Michel Platini said Gianni Infantino has become autocratic since the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Platini argued Infantino was a capable number two at UEFA but not a good leader and claimed he favors the rich and powerful.
- He said he was destined to lead FIFA and described his suspension as a political injustice designed to end his candidacy.
- The dispute traces back to a 2 million Swiss franc payment ordered by Sepp Blatter in 2011, a case in which Platini and Blatter were definitively acquitted by Swiss justice in 2025.
- Platini also noted he believes Infantino benefited from his downfall without instigating it and he has filed a defamation complaint against three former FIFA officials.