Ramon Vega: Ex-Tottenham defender says he will run against Gianni Infantino for FIFA presidency

Gianni Infantino now has his first declared challenger for the top job in world soccer. Ramon Vega, 55, a former Switzerland international who played for Tottenham Hotspur, Cagliari, Celtic and Watford, says he will run for FIFA president in next year's election. Before his name can appear on the ballot, Vega needs support from at least five of FIFA's 211 member federations. He has tried before. He weighed a run in 2015 after Sepp Blatter left, and a later attempt to challenge Infantino stalled when he could not line up the five backers. [1] [2]

Vega laid out his case in an 11-page dossier. He wrote that "Football is in the emergency room, on life support" and argued that weak leadership has hurt FIFA's standing and the trust people place in it. He said fights inside soccer's leadership must not hurt players, coaches, referees and fans, and he called for "fundamental reform." Infantino, 56, has led FIFA since 2016 and won re-election unopposed in 2019 and 2023. He has faced heavy pressure since dropping a failed plan to sell a minority stake in FIFA's commercial and event business, including the World Cup, to private investors. FIFA confirmed last month that he still intends to seek a third term. [1] [2]

Infantino's main opposition has come from UEFA, Europe's soccer federation, which has made clear it wants him to step down. After a meeting of its 55 member federations, UEFA said it is looking for "a respected and unifying figure, deeply rooted in football" to take him on before a Nov. 18 deadline. Yahoo Sports notes that Infantino's critics have struggled to find a suitable opponent. Like Infantino and Blatter, Vega is Swiss, so a win would make him the third Swiss president in a row. [1] [2] [3]