Senior Director of Football Gianni Infantino did not take on an easy task when he succeeded FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Blatter left, with a rotten image with which he infected the most popular sport. The result was numerous arrests within FIFA. Blatter’s supporters were also guilty of blatant self-enrichment.
Infantino has hinted several times that he is looking for more. For example, he held talks about a new format for the Club World Championship; He wanted to involve more countries and more clubs. There were other ideas about creating the League of Nations, but on a global scale. FIFA and UEFA have been involved in a game of strength in which UEFA has shown itself to be more efficient in setting up new competitions. The League of Nations is a good example of this. Tensions are rising between the two footballing superpowers, Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Ceferin.
After long management discussions about the new initiatives, Infantino appears to have focused on organizing the World Cup for countries every two years. In an interview, he recently mentioned the Super Bowl as an example. It is played every year, so why not the World Cup every two years?
I am an advocate of innovation and modernization wherever necessary and possible. What is good for me does not need to be touched upon unless there is a significant improvement. Forcibly introducing new items into an already successful event can also be harmful. A tournament like the World Cup, which lasts for a month, cannot be compared to the Super Bowl, which takes place in one day and is the conclusion of a national club competition. American football is popular only in the United States, in the rest of the world it hardly matters and not many people know what the Super Bowl is. For me, the Super Bowl is more like the Champions League final – also a battle between two teams. I’ve stayed up a few times for it, mostly to watch Whitney Houston perform. A little later she fell asleep. I enjoy the NBA more.
Working toward a peak moment for four years is a special order for athletes and spectators. This period is necessary to build tension, and gives supporters time to make the journey. All kinds of legendary players and national team records will be erased if the world title is contested every two years, so more matches are played. With the increase in the pace of the World Cup, the tournament loses its luster. What is the thought behind it? Want to earn more money? More World Cups means more powerful countries have a chance to host them: more opportunities, and therefore more supporters of the FIFA President.
The World Cup should retain the same status as the Olympic Games – once every four years. These are the biggest sporting events in the world, and no Super Bowl can compete with them.
Clarence Seedorf He is a former football player. Now he is a businessman, philanthropist and guest speaker.
A version of this article also appeared in NRC Handelsblad on October 16, 2021
A version of this article also appeared on NRC on the morning of October 16, 2021
