“Trump and Infantino”, why are these two big names suddenly spoken together, almost in a single breath? Like In India, we often speak of two names as a pair: Luv and Kush, or Ram and Lakshman. Their stories are set along a single thread because they share a common journey and a well-defined destiny. But, on the contrary, Trump and Infantino do not share a noble brotherhood, do they? That’s certainly the most important question of the zero hour. Their names appear together for a very different reason, which seems to be quite treacherous for the geopolitical world. Their union represents a warning, a gentle reminder that when two powerful leaders with similar instincts come together, things can drastically slip from bad to worse, and this can never be a good sign.
Let’s directly come to the point instead of beating around the bush. The idea is not that disaster will strike the moment they stand side by side. No, it actually doesn’t work in this rough manner. The prime concern is that both men carry a style of leadership which is significantly marked by domination, self-interest, and a desire to elevate their own benefit even before considering the welfare of the people they represent. When leadership becomes centred on self-gain instead of public good, then instability naturally creeps in whether be it politics or global sports network, the downfall cannot be prohibited.
Infantino’s Trail of Major Controversies
Gianni Infantino, the current President of FIFA, entered his pivotal role when FIFA was already under big clouds of corruption, secrecy, and internal diplomatic scandals. He was expected to clean the system, in a fair procedure. But instead of clearing the dust, he allowed it to settle deeper and now the dust is clearly visible from a great distance.
In order to comprehend why his leadership draws serious criticism, we must begin with the basics. Just as we cannot understand the nervous system without knowing how nephrons actually work, we cannot decipher Infantino’s controversies without contemplating, how World Cup hosting actually works.
Whenever the World Cup is awarded to a particular country, FIFA is responsible for ensuring fair treatment of its workers; i.e. the people who build the stadiums, the maintenance of the roads, and the infrastructure which makes the event possible. If football symbolises unity and dignity, then the labour behind it must also be treated with utmost respect and dignity.
But under Infantino, the tournaments have been awarded to countries where labour rights are heavily questioned. There have been hundreds of controversial statements, yet Infantino chose Qatar in 2022 and Saudi Arabia in 2034 became some of the key examples depicting his leadership qualities. In both these places, migrant labourers; many from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh have faced harsh and sometimes inhumane treatment. The Extreme torrid temperature, low wages, confiscated passports, unsafe environments, and unhealthy cramped living spaces became a major part of their daily lives.
Reports have even recorded worker deaths in huge numbers. This has literally shaken the world, because the World Cup should be an emblem for life, sportsmanship, equity and fairness. Yet the very workers who built the grand arenas were suffering silently behind the scenes, where the government would hardly notice.
Human rights groups have protested globally regarding this. They questioned why FIFA would reward countries that do not protect their own labourers. But instead of acknowledging the problem, Infantino defended the host nations by stating that Europe and the West should not give “moral lectures” because they themselves have a staunch history of political domination. This argument felt like a way of avoiding responsibility, and what crept in was corruption yet again.
Despite facing several backlashes, Infantino went on to support Saudi Arabia as the next host. A country with its own history of human-rights concerns, is now going to host the next FIFA World Cup. It feels as if instead of destiny, irony smirks. So the question naturally rises: why does he defend his choices?
The answer is quite simple:
“money, influence, and long-term political advantages”.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia, these countries have massive financial strength. Hosting a World Cup could benefit FIFA’s revenue and strengthen Infantino’s personal networks to a huge extent. Leaders often think not only about their present role but also about the influence they can enjoy once their term ends in administration. These alliances help the powerful leaders to secure their respective future.
Admitting mistakes would damage FIFA’s image and his own reputation. So instead, he continues confidently, defending all his decisions that many view as morally questionable scenarios. The transparency and honesty he promised has never appeared even for once. The prime secrecy continued, decisions remained unclear, and the organisation did not become any cleaner under his leadership, rather it has detoriated way a lot.
There were ongoing issues with the women’s football team as well. Insufficient funding, threatening broadcasters, unequal treatment of women players ; all these accusations surfaced throughout the media. Today, there are many people who claim themselves to be so called ‘feminists’, but the true definition of female empowerment is absolutely rare. Infantino spoke of equality, yet supported the men’s game far more actively than the women’s game. His political instincts seemed stronger than his sense of responsibility.
Now, why is Infantino compared to Donald Trump?
Because when we ponder upon Trump’s behaviour, the similarities become impossible to ignore any further. It’s high time to act now, to question and comprehend clearly, with sophistication, and not violence.
Trump’s political decisions often shift according to his own benefit. When he needed India, he praised India and distanced himself from Pakistan and it’s allies. But the moment India started going closer to Russia, the US under Trump imposed heavy tariffs; raising duties from 20% to 100% instantly, thereby causing a distressed situation for India. Gold prices shot up immediately, affecting the global economy and pressuring the middle class families across the world. Yet Trump continued to present himself as the nation’s saviour; “Nobel Peace Prize contender”.
This raises a genuine question for the people of America:
Is Trump truly thinking for America, or only for himself?
Will the brothers and sisters of America ever understand this difference in ideology?
But many remain blind to his contradictions, still enchanted by his aristocratic persona.
Trump’s political theatrics from diplomatic claims to Nobel Peace Prize nominations paint him as a man who takes credit for preventing wars, even when his own policies often lie at the root of several conflicts. He often positions himself as the stabiliser even when he has been the major catalyst of every reaction.
This is where he begins to resemble Infantino:
1.both drift toward controversies,
2.both take actions rooted in self-advantage,
3.both favour authoritarian styles,
4.both defend alliances that serve them over their people, and
5.both create confusion rather than clarity.
Two Leaders, following the same Pattern
Trump is not just the US president; he is a global political force. Infantino is not just a sports administrator, he dominates the world of football and politics as well.
When the two leaders with similar instincts lean towards each other, it becomes a major global concern. Infantino had once skipped a major FIFA meeting just to attend a political event with Trump. This one example, alone portrays how priorities shift when personal alliances matter more than institutional duties.
Both their ideologies overlap: self-interest, power consolidation, political networking, and the ability to divert attention from real issues. When two such figures come together, the world naturally questions the future; not just of only FIFA, but of the entire global leadership itself. Nations and organisations do not stand tall because of one government or one president. They stand on years of labour, governance, and collective efforts from all possible ages and regions. One leader alone cannot uplift or destroy a nation. But leaders who repeatedly ignore public welfare can push the system towards complete instability.
History has a way of repeating itself, in ways which we can’t even imagine. We are very well acquainted with this proverb. And when Trump and Infantino act in patterns that echo each other, people can’t help but see them as a pair; not like mythological brothers walking through the righteous path, but as two powerful men walking on parallel roads where the outcome is uncertain and potentially damaging not just to one particular Nation or Organisation, but to the entire World.