Courting controversy and befriending Trump - Fifa's 'unlikely saviour'
It is 10 years since Gianni Infantino was elected Fifa president, with a remit to rescue football's world governing body. The decade since has been one of reform, expansion and, more recently, controversy. Infantino was installed with Fifa engulfed by claims of widespread corruption and after predecessor Sepp Blatter had resigned. Fifa's finances were in a desperate state. There was a reported $550m (£392m) black hole , external after sponsors walked away. In Infantino, the game felt it had found a safe pair of hands. "I will work tirelessly to bring football back to Fifa, and Fifa back to football," Infantino said. Ten years on, there can be no doubt the governing body is in rude health. It expects to report record revenues , external of $13bn (£9.6bn) for the three-year cycle through to the end of this year. But those figures only tell part of the story. They are boosted by the controversial Club World Cup, and the biggest-eve...
