Houssine Kharja challenges Luis Figo over criticism of Gianni Infantino

Former Morocco international and FIFA’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa Houssine Kharja has strongly criticised Luis Figo after the former Portugal international called for Gianni Infantino to leave his position as FIFA president.

Figo, who played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona, accused FIFA under Infantino of behaving “like a gang” in a lengthy article published recently by the British newspaper Daily Mail.

Responding to the former midfielder in an interview with Moroccan platform SOCCER212, Kharja said: “After all that Infantino has done for football legends, I find this despicable, truly despicable from Luis Figo to come out in this way! And on top of that, the subjects he addressed.”

Kharja also questioned Figo’s authority to discuss money, selfishness and dignity, referring to the Portuguese’s transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid.

“He is the last person in the world who can give moral lessons about selfishness or money!” Kharja said. “Because if we remember what he did, when he left Barcelona to go to Real Madrid… how dare he talk about money, selfishness and dignity?!”

Kharja defends Infantino’s football policies

Kharja argued that the central issue behind the criticism of Infantino was opposition in Europe to the FIFA president’s policies.

“The essence of the problem is that Infantino’s policy deeply annoys Europe,” he said. “Take the development of African football: it now provides dual nationals with a real alternative to represent their country of origin. And that is something Europe cannot tolerate. Spaniards or Dutch people feel bad when they see talents slipping away from them in favour of Morocco or other countries.”

He also criticised what he described as a double standard over foreign investment in football.

“The English Premier League is being sold to foreign capital – American, Saudi or Greek – but as soon as American investors try to enter the capital of international competitions, they shout,” Kharja said. “Buying their own clubs with foreign capital does not create a moral problem for them, but when they touch shares in the global market, it becomes a scandal. It is time for them to clean up at home.”

Kharja was also asked about reports that FIFA could be considering a replacement for Infantino. He rejected suggestions of a power struggle between the president and FIFA secretary general Matthias Grafstrom.

“FIFA critics and complicit media are trying to suggest that there is an internal war between the secretary general and the president,” Kharja said. “In reality, the president has the unconditional support of all of FIFA.”

He added: “The media jump at any opportunity to fuel tensions and create controversy, but there is absolutely no tension. We are all united, and will remain united, behind our president, whether it is the secretary general Matthias Grafstrom or the rest of the executive committee.”

Kharja ended by calling for dialogue between Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, whom he said he also respected.

“My wish is for President Ceferin, whom I also respect, to sit at the same table with President Infantino to resolve their differences,” he said. “The option of a boycott is clearly not the solution. They are two great leaders, and they will know how to find common ground for the good of football.”