Infantino, Trump and a walkout at FIFA summit, Ronaldo tops money list again

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Hello. The bromance between Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump continues to blossom. But closer to home, Infantino has trouble in paradise.

On the way:

FIFA Congress mess: UEFA delegates’ dramatic exit as Infantino arrives late from Trump meeting

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, is in his element in American political circles, which is to say that he spends a lot of time in Donald Trump’s orbit. The men are friends, as far as these things go. Infantino has been in the Oval Office. So has the World Cup trophy, and the Club World Cup trophy (below).

Infantino says a tight alliance with America’s president is vital, with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. In cultivating that relationship, however, he might have pushed things too far. His choices have led to an internal mutiny at FIFA. Here’s what’s happened…

Three-hour delay

Over the past week, FIFA’s diary was filled with various events, including yesterday’s congress — an annual gathering of representatives from the world governing body’s 211 members. These meetings are important, with issues affecting football debated and addressed. Paraguay hosted this week’s edition.

Infantino, as FIFA’s head, was scheduled to be there. But out of the blue, he announced he was joining United States president Trump on a trip to the Middle East for meetings with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The change of plan had knock-on effects: a meeting of the FIFA council, which was supposed to be held in person in Paraguay on this Tuesday just gone, was staged virtually last Friday instead.

Infantino then arrived late for the congress, causing a three-hour delay. This, he said, was due to a complication with the jet that was flying him to the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion.

In protest, eight delegates from UEFA — European football’s governing body — walked out of the congress and issued a statement attacking Infantino. Adam Crafton was on hand to follow the clown show.

Infantino was contrite to a point, saying: “Apologies, sorry, and I am looking forward to spending time with you here.”

But he defended his tour with Trump on the grounds that the U.S. is one of the hosts of the 2026 World Cup, Qatar staged the tournament in 2022 and Saudi Arabia has been chosen as the host for 2034.

“Some important World Cup discussions took place and I needed to be there to represent football and all of you,” he said. As far as the European contingent were concerned, the explanation didn’t wash.

‘Private political interests’

(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

One of the problems for Infantino is that his relationship with Trump, and meetings such as the one in the Middle East, can be rather opaque.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Debbie Hewitt, the president of England’s Football Association, were among the executives to walk out on Thursday.

A UEFA statement issued last night read: “The last-minute changes to the timings of the FIFA congress are deeply regrettable. To have the timetable changed at the last minute for what appears to be simply to accommodate private political interests does the game no service and appears to put its interests second.”

FIFA can be highly political but a certain etiquette persists. By the organisation’s standards, accusing Infantino of “accommodating private political interests” is a hell of a dig. He has bridges to build and dissent to quell, but as the 2026 World Cup draws nearer, his proximity to Trump promises to get closer, too. Those around him are finally asking: who is this relationship benefiting most?

News round-up

• For the third year running, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-earning sportsperson. Forbes’ annual report estimates that he pulled in $275m (£207m), ahead of the NBA’s Steph Curry ($156m) and boxer Tyson Fury ($146m). Lionel Messi was fifth on $135m.
• Jordi Alba has signed a new deal at Inter Miami, through the 2027 MLS season. The full-back will be a ‘designated player’ — one whose wage exceeds MLS’ individual salary cap.
• We wondered if Neymar might use a stint at Santos in Brazil to pave the way for a return to a bigger team, but no: he’s in negotiations with Santos to extend his contract to 2026.
• I’m trying hard not to laugh at this, because it’s not clever or funny, but Everton have banned a supporter from their last home game of the season, which is also their final men’s fixture at Goodison Park. Why? Because the fan allegedly smuggled tools into a previous match and tried to remove his seat as a memento.
• The penultimate fixture of Leicester City’s campaign, at home against Ipswich Town on Sunday, will be Jamie Vardy’s last for them, to ensure he finishes on exactly 500 appearances. He needs one more goal to hit the 200 mark for Leicester. The gods should make it happen.
• The Premier League is about to introduce a rule preventing any player other than a club’s captain from speaking to the referee. The same rule has been in place in UEFA competitions in 2024-25.
• The NWSL has admitted last week’s game between Angel City and Utah Royals should have been called off after the on-field collapse of Savy King.

Barca Crowned: Flick’s side clinch La Liga title after worrying scenes outside stadium

Premier Sports

A 28th title in La Liga is Barcelona’s, still eight behind Real Madrid. Fittingly, the goal that set them on their way last night was assisted by their most effective (and complicated) signing, Dani Olmo, and scored by the star of the show, Lamine Yamal (above). The 17-year-old is having his own goal-of-the-season contest.

That facilitated a 2-0 win at local rivals Espanyol, where things seem to happen when Barca show up in party mode. Two years ago, when Barca also won the title there, the club’s euphoric players were chased down the tunnel by magnanimous home fans. At full time yesterday, Espanyol turned on their sprinklers, seemingly attempting to clear the pitch and avoid a repeat.

Beforehand, there was a far more troubling incident in which a car drove into a crowd outside the stadium, injuring 15 people. We’re awaiting further updates regarding the severity of those injuries.

But Barca have done it, in Hansi Flick’s first year and with an extraordinary amount of swagger. Laia Cervello Herrero picked out the five key moments in their campaign, and I had completely forgotten about Flick lamenting a “s*** November”. Set against Barca’s supreme serenity, that month is like a bad dream.

Watching Wirtz: Euro giants circling but which club would suit him best?

Europe was braced for a battle royale to sign Dean Huijsen, until Real Madrid took the sting out of the race. Madrid have lost their mojo on the pitch, but not their magnetism in the transfer market. They could have Bournemouth’s 20-year-old defender nailed for £50m before the curtain falls on the league season.

This summer’s big saga, then, might involve Florian Wirtz, Europe’s most sought-after attacking midfielder. Bayer Leverkusen would love to keep him but in light of the admirers around him, that isn’t likely. Bayern Munich are in the queue, alongside Manchester City and Liverpool. If I were Wirtz, I’d strike while the iron was hot.

The lure of Bayern is that Wirtz knows the Bundesliga inside out and if anything, joining a more dominant force will make his life easier. English football rages at a faster pace and might not give Wirtz quite as much liberty in the gaps he loves to occupy.

But the Premier League pays big and its profile is higher than Germany’s. Would Liverpool suit him best? Are City tailor-made for him? It’s no simple decision — as our stats boys discovered when they set about establishing Wirtz’s perfect match.

Around TAFC

• Brazil believe recruiting Carlo Ancelotti gives them “the best coach in history in charge of the best national team on the planet”. Jack Lang accepts the first part of that statement, but not the second. And he reckons Ancelotti has his work cut out — not least because the man who hired him, federation president Ednaldo Rodrigues, was removed from his position by a court order last night.
• Michael Cox touched on a strange phenomenon this morning: Tottenham Hotspur are 17th in the Premier League, right above the relegation zone, but they have a positive difference. How did that happen?
• You learn something new every day. The first American to win the FA Cup was… Julian Sturgis, from Boston, in 1873. He did it with Wanderers FC, an amateur club who are sadly no more. Props to Pablo Maurer for a hot piece of trivia.
• It’s pretty much last-chance saloon for all you Fantasy Premier League fiends. Today’s hot tip: make Cole Palmer your captain.
• Crystal Palace forward and FA Cup finalist Jean-Phillipe Mateta, talking about his skills and late ‘90s dance act, the Vengaboys. What more could you want for a Friday?
• Quiz question: with Everton playing at Goodison Park for the final time, can you name the top-scoring Everton player at the stadium, and the top-scoring opposition player there? We’re restricting the numbers to the Premier League. You’ll find the answer here later today, and in Monday’s TAFC.
• Most clicked in Thursday’s TAFC: Tim Spiers watching CR7 the second.

Catch a match

(Selected games, kick-offs ET/UK)

Friday: Premier League — Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur, 2.30pm/7.30pm — USA Network, Fubo/Sky Sports; Chelsea vs Manchester United, 3.15pm/8.15pm — Peacock Premium/Sky Sports.

Saturday: FA Cup final — Crystal Palace vs Manchester City, 11.30am/4.30pm — ESPN+/BBC One, ITV; German Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich, 9.30am/2.30pm — ESPN+/Sky Sports; MLS: New York City FC vs New York Red Bulls, 4.30pm/9.30pm — MLS Season Pass/Apple TV; Columbus Crew vs FC Cincinnati, 7pm/12am — Fox Sports, Fubo, MLS Season Pass/Apple TV.

Sunday: Premier League — Everton vs Southampton, 7am/12pm — USA Network, Fubo/TNT Sports; West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest, 9.15am/2.15pm; Arsenal vs Newcastle United, 11.30am/4.30pm — both USA Network, Fubo/Sky Sports; Women’s FA Cup final: Chelsea vs Manchester United, 8.30am/1.30pm — BBC One (UK only); La Liga: Barcelona vs Villarreal, 1pm/6pm — ESPN+, Fubo/Premier Sports; Sevilla vs Real Madrid, 1pm/6pm — ESPN+/Premier Sports; Serie A: Inter Milan vs Lazio; Parma vs Napoli — both 2.45pm/7.45pm and Paramount+/TNT Sports, OneFootball; MLS: Inter Miami vs Orlando City, 7pm/12am; La Galaxy vs LAFC, 9pm/2am — both MLS Season Pass/Apple TV.

And finally…

(J League)

An ‘And Finally’ debut for Japan’s J1 League, hard earned by Yokahama’s Boniface Nduka. His own goal against Kawasaki Frontale was so bad that he should actually be proud of it. Would it shock you to learn that Yokohama occupy a relegation place?

(Top photo: Marcelo Endelli – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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