Philipp Lahm harshly criticized the president of FIFA

German football legend and 2014 World Cup winner Philipp Lahm issued a scathing criticism of FIFA president Gianni Infantino. In his column for the authoritative German publication Die Zeit, the ex-footballer expressed serious concern about the current vector of the organization's development. The main thrust of Lam's criticism fell on FIFA's policies regarding the distribution and pricing of World Cup tickets. The German accuses the organization of excessive greed and detachment from the interests of ordinary fans. "Tickets for the World Cup are sold out. This robs football of its credibility. As a result, fans feel anxious. It becomes more and more difficult for them to separate FIFA from the event itself," said Lam. He also joined the general dismay at inflated ticket prices this summer, with FIFA accused of failing to provide honest data on true demand and using it to maximize revenue. In addition to the financial issues, Philipp Lahm has highlighted two global issues that he believes are harming the game itself: Lahm strongly condemned the expanded Club World Cup that debuted last summer, highlighting its negative impact on players' fitness and health. The ex-defender remains opposed to the idea of ​​holding the World Cup every two years. "I am annoyed by Infantino's constant proposal to hold the World Cup every two years. The tournament needs preparation and follow-up to have a lasting impact," he says. Despite the harsh rhetoric, Lam found positives in the organization's actions, noting that FIFA is doing many things right. In particular, he praised the transition of the World Cup to a format with 48 teams. According to the former Bundesliga captain, it's a great decision because it gives the opportunity to create unique football stories and opens up a big stage for the likes of Scotland, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cape Verde. We will remind that this is not the first case of Lam's public criticism of the current head of FIFA. Earlier, during the 2022 World Cup, the German openly stated that Gianni Infantino lacked integrity.