Gianni Infantino has posted a 15-page Instagram rant — yes, fifteen pages — defending the Club World Cup from critics, and it reads exactly like you'd expect from a man who gave Donald Trump a "Peace Prize" and has been photographed in the Oval Office more times than most cabinet members.
The FIFA president, who earns $6 million a year, opened with "sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all" and didn't get much more self-aware from there. Eight uses of the word "hate." Fifteen separate accusations. The full thing was mirrored on FIFA's official website, just in case anyone thought this was an off-the-cuff personal moment.
The claims that don't hold up
"We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!" Infantino wrote. This is a difficult line to square with what actually happened. Iran was one of four countries — alongside Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast — whose fans were entirely banned from entering the United States. A Somali referee was denied entry. The tournament started under the cloud of Iran threatening to withdraw entirely after the Trump administration blocked visas for its fans and staff.
On the field, the final between Argentina and Spain ended in chaos after Argentine player Leandro Paredes appeared to strike Spanish midfielder Rodri during the celebrations. There were street skirmishes in Buenos Aires afterwards, including reports of police officers being assaulted. "Only joy and happiness" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
Infantino also wrote that "Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict." The reality: four of the fifteen originally denied Iranian team staff members eventually received visas. Four. He framed that as a success.
The Balogun red card — the controversy he can't explain away
The most damaging section is his attempt to address the tournament's central disciplinary scandal. USMNT striker Florian Balogun was sent off against Bosnia for a reckless challenge and was due to miss the knockout round against Belgium. Then Trump called Infantino. The red card was suspended. Balogun played. The US lost anyway, but the perception of direct presidential interference in a FIFA disciplinary decision was damaging in a way no Instagram post can undo.
Infantino's response: "'arguable' referees' decisions or 'strange' disciplinary rulings such as for instance potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide." That's not a defence. That's a shrug dressed up in subordinate clauses.
He closed by urging critics to "find peace" and suggested they "take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray, or watch a football match." Meanwhile, sources told the New York Post that Trump believes Infantino should be the next UN Secretary-General — a detail that, more than any of the 15 pages, tells you everything about the dynamic at play here.
