‘FIFA has concrete plans for Bangladesh’
FIFA president Gianni Infantino urged the Bangladesh government and business houses to invest in football more, especially on youth and women's football where he feels Bangladesh has enormous opportunities. The chief of world football's governing body said that he did not expect the overwhelming reception and interest showed by the locals, stating that he was reassured that football is the number one sport in the country as it is in the world.
The 49-year-old Swiss said this while speaking at a crowded press meet at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel before his departure for Laos, ending a busy day after having arrived with his entourage early in the morning.
"I am surprised. I really didn't expect this. I thought I'd come into a country which knows a bit about football, but didn't care much about the FIFA president coming. But I find the country is living football. I feel a positive energy about football here. I'll go back with ideas and you will see the result," Infantino, wearing the Bangladesh national team's No. 10 jersey, said hinting that his team had concrete plans regarding Bangladesh and South Asia.
Infantino, who took the hot seat at world football's governing body in 2016 before being elected for a fresh term earlier this year, said he saw encouraging signs for Bangladesh football, especially at age-group level and women's football.
"Bangladesh had an excellent result against India in a 1-1 draw two days ago. There are excellent results in age-group football -- not only in girls' football but also in boys' football. I know Jamal [Bhuiyan], I know the Bangladeshi-origin kid who plays in England with an Afro hairdo [Hamza Chaudhury]. Here you have Kazi [Salahuddin]. These are living legends who make us dream," the FIFA boss added.
While holding the FIFA ball which was used at the final of this year's Women's World Cup in France, Infantino said that Bangladesh has great potential and opportunity in women's football. "Since women's football is not as competitive as men's football, I feel there is opportunity for countries like Bangladesh, who are already doing well at age-group level, to do better. We have concrete plans for Bangladesh which we discussed at the meeting at the BFF. We had a great meeting with the Prime Minister for about an hour. We urge the government and the business houses to invest more in football. Our philosophy is play more and invest more."
The FIFA president also said that since he took office, football's apex body has been moving from a Euro-centric vision to a more global one, with a proposed 48-team Men's World Cup, an increase in number of teams in the Women's World Cup part of his vision to integrate more countries into premier football competitions.
Infantino also reiterated his faith that the Qatar World Cup in 2022 will be the best one ever, while asserting that racism is a threat to football and society that his organisation is determined to eradicate.
The Swiss also had a cheeky reply when asked about his plans for football to compete against cricket in popularity.
"I don't think cricket is the most popular sport here, but football is. Does anyone understand cricket in this room? Only one?" Infantino asked, setting off a round of laughter. "How many countries play cricket? 10? 12? When you play with 10 or 12 countries, it is easy to go up the table. But 211 countries play football and that is why it is so competitive and so popular."
The FIFA boss came here from Mongolia with an entourage which included, among others, former French striker Youri Djorkaeff, a member of France's World Cup winning team in 1998.
The press conference was attended, among others, by BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, FIFA member Mahfuza Akter Kiron, BFF executive committee members and FIFA officials.
Infantino had earlier paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister's Office in the morning before meeting BFF executive committee members. According to the PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim who briefed reporters after the meeting, the premier said during the meeting that her government is constructing 492 mini-stadiums at sub-district level across the country to promote sports.
At the BFF executive committee meeting, most members were present except for Badal Roy and Mohiuddin Ahmed, the two vice-presidents who had levelled allegations of financial irregularities against the BFF recently. A reliable source informed that the two vice-presidents were not included in BFF's list of delegates that visited the PMO with the FIFA president.
Infantino and his entourage left Dhaka for Laos in the afternoon