South American legends such as Cafu, Carlos, and Zanetti issued a statement announcing their support for Infantino.

Football legends Cafu and Roberto Carlos of Brazil, and Javier Zanetti of Argentina, have publicly endorsed FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Infantino was previously embroiled in controversy over plans to sell a portion of the World Cup's commercial interests to private investors, ultimately forcing him to withdraw his proposal.

Cafu, the 1994 and 2002 World Cup champion, and former Argentine international Zanetti, now the vice president of Inter Milan, wrote on social media that they have witnessed the work done by FIFA and Infantino in the past decade to give players a voice in world football, something that did not exist in the past.

The statement also received support from Cafu's Brazilian national team teammate Roberto Carlos, as well as Argentine players such as Cambiasso and Pastore. A few days before the statement was released, other members of the World Cup-winning team had called on football management to "make the necessary changes."

In a statement, Cafu and Zanetti said: "Players have gained a voice and a place in the sport through participation in committees, projects and working groups. Our opinions are heard, and many initiatives that benefit football take shape because of our thoughts, ideas, plans and participation."

These South American legends also stated that they are committed to continuing to deliver the "hope" the world offers, to "change lives, improve societies, and expand opportunities for everyone around the world."

They concluded by writing, "We will continue to support the tremendous progress the sport has made over the past decade, ensuring that it continues to benefit all countries and people who play football." This statement is a clear endorsement of the work of FIFA's top management.

Gianni Infantino hopes to remain in office at the FIFA Congress in March 2027, but has faced widespread criticism in recent weeks, particularly from UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF, with the controversy centering on his plan to sell 20% of the World Cup's commercial rights to private investors.

This statement of support from the South American legends comes after French World Cup-winning members Petit, Lizarazu, and Pires, along with Ivorian legend Drogba, called for “necessary changes” from the football management. The latter stated that “power has blinded the current leadership to the ability to distinguish between their own interests and what is truly beneficial to football.”

“Recent events have made it impossible for us to remain silent any longer. Enough is enough,” they wrote in an open letter also released via social media.