Fifa chief on utter despair

Milan – Fifa president Gianni Infantino (above) revealed yesterday his despair at Italy’s failure to reach the World Cup finals where he had hoped to hand the trophy to Azzurri captain Gianluigi Buffon.

“I’m sad, yes I’m sad for the World Cup. I almost cried,” Infantino, who holds both Swiss and Italian nationality, said in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta Dello Sport five months ahead of the World Cup final in Russia.

“I think it’s a collective sadness. We’re talking about a team with a great tradition who give their best in events like this.

“But those who are in Russia deserved to qualify and in any case Italy stayed out with an Italian president: do we need anything else to say we’re honest and clean?”

Infantino, the Swiss-born son of Italian immigrant parents, took over the scandal-battered world body from disgraced president Sepp Blatter in February 2016.

“I would have liked to have given the cup to Buffon though,” admitted the 47-year-old.

Italy are without a national coach and a football federation president with the FIGC currently under the guardianship of the national Olympic committee CONI.

Infantino said he hoped this would be “as short as possible”.

Infantino added that he hoped to encourage 40-year-old Juventus and Italy goalkeeping legend Buffon to take a role in football’s governing body when he retires.

“Could he take a role in Fifa? I’m going to go in person and get him.” –