Arsenal's historic manager, Arsène Wenger, has come under fire after transforming from "the Professor" with influential ideas in football into one of the most prominent supporters of Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football "FIFA", according to an article by the prominent journalist of"Daily Mail" of Britain, Chris Wheeler, who reckons the Frenchman "destroyed his own legacy".
Wheeler recalled how Wenger praised Infantino last February, marking 10 years since he took charge of FIFA. "Gianni is always ready to move forward and create new ideas. He is open to new ideas," Wenger said, a line the writer seized on to launch his criticism of several ideas floated by the federation president.
Read also
"Why do you ask him about his religion?": new controversy in France over Zidane
Hoeness on Real Madrid rumours: even if the emperor of China came, we would not negotiate with him
Over recent years, Infantino has pushed the World Cup into the Christmas period in Qatar, expanded the field to 48 teams for 2026 and floated the idea of stretching it to 64 in 2030. Add in compulsory hydration breaks at the World Cup and a FIFA Peace Prize handed to US President Donald Trump, and the list of politically and sporting divisive moves keeps growing.
His latest idea is the one Wheeler considers most dangerous of all: opening up the commercial value of FIFA competitions to private-sector investors in a deal worth up to £3.1 billion. The project has ignited a global crisis and drawn wide opposition, most notably UEFA's threat to boycott FIFA competitions.
Wenger's role
At 76, Wenger stands alongside Infantino as FIFA's chief of global football development. He belongs to the inner circle, one of those believed to have known about the controversial new project, and possibly even to have helped orchestrate it given how close the pair are.
Wheeler conceded that the Frenchman still makes positive contributions. Chief among them is his leadership of FIFA's £160 million talent development programme in countries that lack professional pathways for young players, along with his chairmanship of a task force on player welfare. All of that despite his proposal to hold the World Cup every two years.
"Infantino's selfishness"
Once a visionary who changed English football, Wenger no longer uses his influence to confront what the article calls Infantino's selfishness. Wheeler points to his praise for the success of the 48-team system, even as Wenger himself admitted the hydration breaks did not win everyone over.
Where does Wenger stand on the plan to "sell" the World Cup? That is the question Wheeler ends on, especially with Infantino offering member federations £30 million if they backed the project by 19 September, amid global resistance and the European threat to boycott.
FIFA tried to calm the storm with a statement. "No one is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever accept," it read. Wheeler is unconvinced. He believes Infantino now stands exposed before the world, and that Wenger, rather than confronting him, "stands strongly behind him". He brands the veteran Frenchman "a silent follower walking behind his master Gianni Infantino", and asks whether the former Arsenal manager is "the real mind behind FIFA's foolish schemes".