With the FIFA elections scheduled for March 2027 drawing closer, Gianni Infantino has received the backing of three Argentine legends.
Amid the growing controversy over how the world governing body is run, Javier Pastore, Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso issued a joint statement defending the FIFA president's record.
All three former internationals pointed to the increasing role handed to players since Infantino took the reins.
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They wrote on their Instagram accounts: "Over the past decade, we have witnessed the commitment of FIFA and President Infantino to ensuring the representation of players in the world of football, something that did not previously exist."
Current and former players now enjoy "a voice that is heard and an active role" through their involvement in various committees, projects and working groups, according to the trio.
Opposition to Infantino has been building. Several former internationals have recently called for a change at the top of FIFA, among them the Frenchmen Mikael Silvestre, Emmanuel Petit, Robert Pires, Olivier Dacourt, Louis Saha, Frederic Piquionne and Jessica Houara-D'Hommeaux.
Pastore, Zanetti and Cambiasso, by contrast, defend the organisation's current structure. "Our views are heard, and many initiatives beneficial to football are taking shape thanks to our contributions, ideas, projects and active participation," they said.
It marks significant public support for Infantino just as the criticism of his presidency mounts and the fight over FIFA's future intensifies.
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