President Donald Trump wants FIFA President Gianni Infantino to become the next United Nations Secretary-General following the success of this summer’s World Cup, according to a report. With Portugal’s Antonio Guterres due to step down from the role in December, Trump believes Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world, and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together,” a White House insider told The New York Post.
"The World Cup turned out to be a spectacular SUCCESS!" Trump posted on Truth Social after Spain defeated Argentina in the final. "Few people will ever be able to accomplish what he has done in elevating the World Cup to a level that nobody thought was possible." The tournament generated $15.2billion (£11.4billion) in revenue, both representing all-time peaks.
Paolo Zampolli, an Italian-American businessman and diplomat who serves as Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, said that “only President Trump could have such a genius idea", and that "there is some similarity" between the roles of FIFA president and UN secretary-general. “At the United Nations, you have to deal with 193 member states," Zampolli said. "In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage."
If he does, Infantino would need to charm the 15 members of the Security Council before the General Assembly confirms, or denies, the appointment.
Infantino, 56, a Swiss lawyer by background, has already said he intends to run for a third term as FIFA president and has yet to comment on Trump’s apparent proposal, which would require him to win the endorsement of the U.N.’s Security Council and then its General Assembly. The 56-year-old Infantino earns about $6 million a year at FIFA, with the UN's secretary-general’s salary amounted to about $418,000.