Cristiano Ronaldo and FIFA President Gianni Infantino had a brief encounter at the Esports World Cup in Paris on 23/8. The Portuguese forward greeted Infantino, asking, "How are you?". Infantino responded by referencing Ronaldo's career goal of 1,000 goals, stating, "23 more goals? Good luck!".

Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction upon meeting FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Esports World Cup in Paris, France. Photo: screenshot

However, it was Ronaldo's gestures and expression as he walked away that garnered significant attention. Many viewers suggested he appeared to frown, despite the two having shown a good relationship in past meetings. Social media users quickly reacted, with one X user writing, "His expression is incredible. CR7 is not happy". Another commented, "Body language speaks louder than words". A third account noted, "Look at Cristiano's face, he has no patience for him". Some fans even claimed the Portuguese football legend's expression "said it all".

Ronaldo began his 25th professional season by coming on as a substitute and scoring in Al Nassr's 4-0 victory over Al Riyadh in the second round of the Saudi Pro League on 21/8. The Portuguese superstar scored his 977th career goal and his 130th for Al Nassr across all competitions since joining the Saudi club in 12/2022. Ronaldo has consistently affirmed his goal of becoming the first player to reach 1,000 goals, despite family members repeatedly advising him to rest after more than two decades of top-tier play. The 41-year-old forward has hinted at possible retirement at the end of this season when his contract with Al Nassr expires.

Ronaldo's expression upon meeting the FIFA President.

Meanwhile, Infantino is facing significant pressure from various fronts, particularly regarding his plan to spin off commercial activities, including the men's and women's World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, into a subsidiary valued at approximately 20 billion USD. This plan involved selling 20% of the shares to private investors, aiming to raise around 4,2 billion USD for FIFA. Due to widespread opposition from within FIFA and boycott threats from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Infantino's proposal was canceled on 31/7. However, attacks targeting the FIFA President have not ceased.

On 10/8, the presidents of the Football Federations of Asia, Europe, and North, Central America and Caribbean regions published an open letter, accusing Infantino of betraying trust. This group simultaneously called for an independent and comprehensive investigation into the events, with their letter widely interpreted as a subtle call for Infantino's removal.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left) presents the FIFA Special Award for Best Men's Player to forward Cristiano Ronaldo at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021 ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, on 17/1/2022. Photo: AFP

Last week, Infantino was approached by Sky Sports reporter James Matthews in the Dominican Republic. When questioned about his future, Infantino joked about his and Matthews' hair. After shaking hands with the reporter and walking towards his car, Matthews introduced himself and asked Infantino if he had "betrayed football". Infantino interrupted, saying, "You have nice hair, very nice hair". Matthews maintained his professionalism, pressing on with questions: "Why don't you resign?". The Sky Sports reporter continued, "Fans and FIFA member associations want you to resign, why don't you? Have you betrayed FIFA's trust, sir?". Infantino entered the car, replying, "See you at the barbershop".

Infantino is likely to face a challenger in next year's FIFA presidential election. Alexander Ceferin, the current President of UEFA, is widely considered a strong candidate to potentially replace him.

Hong Duy (according to Daily Mail)