The legendary former captain of the German national team and 2014 world champion Philipp Lahm has made a sharp comment on the current state of world football. In his column for the authoritative German weekly Die Zeit, Lahm strongly welcomes the investigations against Manchester City for financial irregularities, as well as the increasing pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
„If behavior like what we saw in Manchester and at FIFA is punished, that is a good thing. Football must prevent dubious ideas from taking it further away from its roots - ordinary people and amateur sport. Only in this way can it foster interaction with civil society and contribute to a stronger Europe, Lahm firmly states.
Lahm's statement comes at a time when an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 points for breaching the Premier League's financial rules for the period 2009-2018. Although the club is currently appealing, a possible sanction of a huge number of points could send the "citizens" directly to a lower division.
“It is good that the Premier League is taking decisive action against unfair competition“, the former defender supported the strict measures.
Lahm's position also touches on the severe crisis of confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Tensions around the Swiss have escalated due to a series of controversial decisions:
The attempt to attract private investors for FIFA events.
The presentation of a special "Peace Prize" of US President Donald Trump.
The case of American footballer Folarin Balogun, who was allowed to play in a World Cup match despite a red card in the previous match — a decision made after a direct phone conversation between Trump and Infantino.
The European headquarters of UEFA has already sent a list of 42 official questions to FIFA, demanding Infantino's immediate resignation. However, the Swiss claims that he intends to run for a new term in March.
„I also welcome the fact that the rules are being applied in other cases. UEFA is taking a firm stance against Gianni Infantino. "It is possible that the FIFA president will be removed from his post," Philipp Lahm summarizes.