Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega declares interest in challenging Infantino for FIFA presidency

Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega declares interest in challenging Infantino for FIFA presidency Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega has announced his intention to challenge Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency, The Sun reports. The former Switzerland international has criticised Infantino and his administration, accusing them of weakening trust in FIFA and damaging football’s reputation through poor leadership. Vega’s announcement comes ahead of the meeting between European football officials in Berlin, where they plan to discuss their response to Infantino’s plans and consider how to challenge his leadership. Despite facing intense scrutiny, Infantino still has a decent chance of retaining his position as FIFA president when the election takes place in Morocco in March . “Football must always come first,” Vega said, arguing that disagreements within the sport have divided the global football community for too long. He added that football was bigger than any individual or organisation and belonged to everyone involved in the game, including players, coaches, referees, supporters, volunteers, and local communities. “Football must always come first,” he said. “Yet for too long, division has fractured our football family. “Football is greater than any position, any individual or any institution. It is the people’s game and belongs to everyone. “The players, coaches, referees, supporters, volunteers, clubs, leagues, associations and communities that give football its life, every child discovering the game, every professional carrying the hopes of a nation, and billions of supporters. “I am standing to reunite the global football family, deliver genuine and lasting reform, modernise FIFA for the 21st Century, restore stability and credibility, and rebuild the trust that our game urgently needs.” Presidential candidates must declare their intention to run by mid-next month. They must also have been involved in football for at least two of the previous five years, receive support from five national football associations and pass FIFA’s eligibility checks. Vega tried to run for FIFA president in 2015 but made little progress with his campaign. Despite his announcement, European football leaders are still looking for a strong candidate to challenge Infantino for the presidency. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently criticised Infantino during a speech in Copenhagen, saying that the time had come to take a firmer stand. The meeting in Berlin will involve representatives from all 55 UEFA member associations and will produce a clearer strategy ahead of the next gathering of FIFA’s ruling Council in Zurich.