'It's a wasted effort' - Emmanuel Petit calls for Gianni Infantino's departure as France legend details FIFA open letter
A growing movement for change
The football world has been rocked by the publication of an open letter signed by a collective of former international stars, including Mikael Silvestre, Olivier Dacourt, and Lucy Bronze. The group has come together to express their deep-seated concerns regarding the governance of the beautiful game, taking aim at the way power is currently being exercised at the very top of the sport.
Speaking on RMC’s Rothen s’enflamme, the 1998 World Cup hero explained the origins of his involvement and the specific incidents that triggered this public backlash. "It was Silvestre who contacted me a few days ago by message to ask me if I agreed to put my name on a list of former players that followed what had happened once again during the World Cup in the United States, notably the Infantino-Trump episode," Petit said. The former midfielder believes that the current leadership has lost its way, stating that "change is necessary."
Scepticism over FIFA's future
Despite his participation in the protest, Petit remains deeply cynical about whether a simple letter can dismantle the entrenched power structures within Zurich. He acknowledged that while the message is important for raising awareness, it may not be enough to force the hand of those in charge. "It's a wasted effort. It's just to awaken," the Frenchman admitted during his broadcast appearance.
He was quick to clarify that the protest is not a blanket attack on everyone working within the federation, but rather a targeted critique of those at the summit who dictate policy and direction. "The text that we published is not a plea against the people who work within FIFA. It concerns certain people. There are good people at FIFA."
More than just a fresh face
The former France international is adamant that the sport needs more than just a fresh face in the president's office; it needs a fundamental rewrite of its operating procedures. He warned that simply replacing one leader with another would be a futile exercise if the underlying culture remains untouched by reform.
"We must propose concrete things. Elections are coming. If you kick out Infantino or put someone else in, the way it works will never change. And FIFA's way of functioning must change on certain specific points," he insisted, calling for a more democratic approach to the global game.
Reclaiming the common good
The legend expressed surprise that the collective’s letter had generated such a significant media storm, but he hopes the noise will eventually lead to tangible shifts in how football is managed.
In his closing remarks on the matter, Petit touched upon the need for a return to democratic values within the halls of FIFA. "I don't hold the truth, but it goes in a democratic direction. Today, we are very, very far from it. I find that currently, we are in the appropriation, precisely, of a common good for personal ends. And we are going more and more in that direction and not just in football," he concluded.
