'He massages Trump's basest instincts': why is Fifa's Gianni Infantino cosying up to the US president?

Fifa President Gianni Infantino's relationship with US President Donald Trump is perplexing given Trump's polarizing impact on American society. The two leaders share a keen interest in sports, particularly football (or soccer). During the 2017 World Cup draw ceremony in Moscow, Trump watched as Putin presented the trophy to German captain Manuel Neuer.

A few months later, Infantino visited the Oval Office and took Trump under his wing by handing him souvenir red and yellow cards that could be used to silence critics. This gesture seems designed to ease Trump's concerns about the media and maintain his public image.

However, there is evidence that Fifa officials are uncomfortable with Infantino's close relationship with Trump. Critics argue that this association undermines Fifa's political neutrality.

Some have speculated about Infantino's motivations for befriending Trump. Is it a genuine attempt to engage in dialogue or merely an exercise in realpolitik?

I don't get why FIFA prez Gianni Infantino is hangin' out with US Prez Donald Trump . Like, I get that they both love footy and all, but come on, Trump's got a major rep for bein' super divisive . I can understand why FIFA might wanna keep their politics separate from sports, you know? But at the same time, it's kinda weird that Infantino is goin' out of his way to hang with Trump just to give him some "red and yellow cards" . Is he really tryin' to make friends or is it all just a PR stunt? I think it's good that FIFA is representin' their neutrality, but at the same time, if Infantino wants to build bridges, maybe they should start with somethin' a little more low-key .

omg i mean think about it - infantino is kinda trying to be that one friend who shows up at every party and brings the free merchandise lol but seriously though this whole thing just reeks of corruption. i dont know how much more u can take when fifa reps r hangin with trump over there...like what's the point of all these soccer tournaments if its just gonna be a platform for him to spew his divisive nonsense? and yaaas pls hand out souvenir cards like that tho, now we gotta wonder if those cards came w/ some kinda secret sauce or something but for real though infantino needs 2 take responsibility 4 this mess

I mean, can you believe the drama surrounding Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump's friendship? It's like something out of a Marvel movie - one minute they're high-fiving over football, the next they're dealing with all this controversy. I think what's got everyone talking is that FIFA is supposed to be all about sports, you know? But now they're caught up in politics and it just doesn't sit right.

I'm not sure what Infantino's endgame is here - is he really trying to make some kind of statement or does he just want to be BFFs with Trump so he can stay in power? Either way, it's got everyone on edge. I think FIFA needs to take a step back and remember their main goal: the beautiful game!

idk about fifa president gianni infantino tho he's gotta walk the fine line between bein friendly with trump and not gettin himself into trouble i mean, trump's got this crazy polarizing effect on people & infantino's gotta consider that when makin moves around him but at the same time, it's cool that they share a love for football maybe infantino just wants to use their connection as a way to bring ppl together over sports instead of politics anyway, i'm curious about what infantino's real motive is here

I mean, can you imagine having a president like Donald Trump and the head of world football just being super chill with each other? It seems kinda weird, especially when Trump's views are so...divisive. Like, I get it, sports is a universal thing and all that, but still. Infantino must have some pretty good reasons for hanging out with him, maybe he thinks it'll help with the whole US-France deal? Or maybe he just wants to be friends with Trump, who knows? Either way, I think FIFA needs to keep an eye on this friendship and make sure they're not getting too caught up in realpolitik. It's a big job being the head of FIFA, and politics shouldn't be part of it, you feel?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump's friendship. On one hand, it's kinda cool that they both love sports, but Trump's reputation precedes him... like, seriously precedes him . I mean, who tries to bully his way into getting what they want? It's not exactly the kind of vibes you'd want associated with FIFA, you know?

But, at the same time, Infantino did seem to be trying to play peacemaker during that World Cup draw ceremony. And that souvenir card thing was actually kinda sweet . Maybe he just wants to get along and have a good time? Or maybe it's some kind of clever move to curry favor with Trump... idk, but I'm not buying the whole "realpolitik" narrative .

What really gets me is how FIFA's supposed to be all about sportsmanship and fair play, yet Infantino's friendships can make everyone question whether they're still doing that right. Like, what happens when you've got a president who thinks he can just bully his way into getting what he wants? It makes me wonder if there's more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye .

I'm not sure why FIFA President Gianni Infantino is so close with US President Donald Trump . I mean, Trump has been all over the news, and his tweets can be pretty divisive, you know? But Infanto just seems to take it in stride, like they're buddies or something .

It's weird that he gave Trump those souvenir cards after their meeting at the Oval Office . I guess it was a nice gesture, but yeah, some people think it was more about maintaining Trump's image than actually building a relationship .

I don't know what Infanto's deal is with Trump, but I do think FIFA needs to be careful not to take sides on anything . They're supposed to be neutral, you know? But at the same time, if Infanto thinks that hanging out with Trump can help him get things done for football, then maybe it's worth a shot .

It's all about finding common ground, right? Maybe Infantino just genuinely wants to talk shop and find ways to promote football worldwide . We'll just have to wait and see what happens next .

I'm low-key confused by Infantino's move ... I mean, one minute he's chillin' with Putin at the World Cup, and the next he's palin' around with Trump over some sports cards . It's like, what's the real goal here? Is he actually tryin' to make amends or is this just a strategic move to keep Trump happy? I'm no expert, but it seems weird that Fifa would be so down with this association ... like, doesn't their whole thing about neutrality kinda clash with Trump's whole polarizing vibe? Maybe Infantino knows somethin' we don't know . Anyway, I think it's safe to say this one's got a lot of folks scratchin' their heads .