Infantino’s offside alliance


Infantino and Trump visiting the pitch after the Fifa Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in July. — Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

ALONG the raised dais in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where world leaders flanked US President Donald Trump to mark the ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, one man stood out who was neither head of government nor Arab royalty.

Gianni Infantino, president of global football’s governing body, Fifa, was the only sports official at the Oct 13 summit and the only dignitary without a political role.

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