Infantino: ‘Italy hurry up! Club World Cup an opportunity’ | OneFootball

FIFA President Gianni Infantino jokes that Italy must ‘hurry up’ and qualify for the next World Cup and insists the 2025 Club World Cup will be an ‘opportunity’ for many players: ‘I spoke with Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji…’

Infantino attended the FIGC elective assembly on Monday, speaking about the Azzurri and the new Club World Cup, which will be held in the USA next summer.

“I’ve been the FIFA President for the last two World Cups, and Italy qualified for neither,” Infantino told reporters.

“What can I say? Hurry up!”

The FIFA President was asked his thoughts on complaints from many coaches and players, including Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, about the increasing number of matches, which won’t get any better with the upcoming Club World Cup.

“I think the Club World Cup is a fantastic competition, with two Serie A clubs involved, Inter and Juventus,” said Infantino.

Infantino: ‘Club World Cup an opportunity’

“There will be more clubs from all around the world, clubs that never have the opportunity to shine on the world stage. The competition lasts one month and replaces the old FIFA Confederations Cup. This makes more sense.

“In the end, FIFA is responsible for organising less than 1% of games worldwide,” he continued.

“Perhaps it would be fair to start with those organising 99% of games. FIFA’s 1% gives enormous benefits worldwide. We also provide an opportunity for footballers who come from countries that do not have a chance to win the World Cup.

“I recently spoke to Haaland and Akanji, who play for Man City. They are excellent footballers and now they have a chance to win a World Cup, not with their national teams, but with their clubs.

“It is still a World Cup, and it will be a World Cup for their clubs, for themselves, but also for their countries,” Infantino concluded.