A
lthough the final
decision is not
his to take, FIFA’s
deputy secretary-
general says there
is no chance of
the 2022 World
Cup in Qatar being expanded to 48
teams when Council meets in March.
“To go to 48 teams would make
difficulties for Qatar because of the
preparations already made for 32 teams,”
says Boban, who won the Champions
League and four Serie A titles with Milan
as a player in the 1990s. “Qatar, in itself,
would find it difficult to accommodate a
finals with 48 teams. In that case it would
be necessary to spread the matches into
some other countries nearby and this
brings other issues into play.”
The idea of the tournament being
shared with neighbouring nations is
a non-starter due to the political and
economic blockade of Qatar by a
coalition led by Saudi Arabia and
including the United Arab Emirates. And
the 50-year-old Croatian sees a further
obstacle, adding: “The concept of
matches in other countries would cause
big problems because of how the finals
were awarded. Those other countries
who bid, like Australia and Japan and
Korea Republic or even the United States.
How would they react?”
Brought into FIFA in 2016 by Gianni
Infantino, Boban’s appointment was
initially viewed as a gesture born of thenew president’s obsession with “legends”.
But there was more to it than that and
Infantino had sought the former player’s
opinion when he was first mulling over a
bid for FIFA power.
“We talked about it, about the situation
and issues,” reveals Boban. “It was
interesting he had asked my view.
“After he was elected he called me
again and asked whether I would come
on board. He said it was difficult for him
as the new man at FIFA. He wanted
people he knew and respected. I said OK.”
The former midfielder’s interest in the
world of football politics only began after
he stopped playing.
“When I was a player, FIFA was some
sort of strange, distant organisation which
had nothing to do with us,” he explains. “ItCarving out a new role at FIFA
Zvonimir Boban
was just guys who showed up for the big
matches and took some of the credit and
maybe some of the money. Who knew?”
Boban’s suspicions were not so far off
the mark as far as many of the game’s
directors were concerned, and he accepts
that the corruption issues which crushed
FIFA’s reputation will take “many more
years to heal”. He also has no qualms
about confronting many of the big issues
facing the game’s governing body.
Of replacing the Club World Cup with
a 24-team show every four years, he
states: “There are many commercial
organisations which organise matches for
European clubs in the summer. No one
should object to the Club World Cup in
the summer because it will not make
money just for these businesses but for
the clubs and for the game of football.”
As for the Nations League, he says
that the UEFA experience has changedhis opinion, admitting: “I was against the
idea. I thought it meant only more games
for the poor players. But it was a success.
I was wrong. I can see that now.
“Certainly it can work around the world
but this depends on the confederations.
You cannot have an intercontinental
tournament.”
As someone who in 1990 assaulted
a policemen who was attacking his side’s
fans in Zagreb when playing for Dinamo,
Boban has made decisive choices
throughout his career, both on and off
the pitch.
He is his own man – and one day he
may be considering even more important
decisions within the game which is
dearest to his heart.
Keir Radnedgewhere the marking would be at its tightest.
Three years in Europe proved Seedorf
to be right. A succession of coaches at
Sevilla found him surplus to requirements
and he did little of note in a brief spell in
France with Amiens.
And now he has joined Fluminense,
not like Ronaldinho as a great of
yesteryear but as a great who never
was. He could, however, end up being
much more useful to his new club.
In 2015 it should have been clear to
all that Ronaldinho had little to offer the
professional game. He appeared to have
lost interest years earlier and his physical
condition was no longer good enough to
provide him with a platform from which
to display his extraordinary talent. After
just nine games he admitted defeat and
ripped up his contract.
Ganso, on the other hand, should have
far more to give – not least because he
lacks the laurels on which he might be
tempted to rest, and also because he is
joining an interesting project.
Fluminense have Fernando Diniz as
their coach and he is a rarity in Brazil^
- a man who wants to implant a bold,
high-pressing, possession-based game. It
is not a model for which Ganso would be
seen as a natural fit, but cash-strapped
Flu have had to turn to youth and so
the possibility exists that Ganso will be
surrounded by young players with lung
power, which will open up the pitch and
give him options to deliver his passes.
If the parts can all be made to fit, then
Paulo Henrique Ganso could even turn
out to be worthy of the welcome he
received on arrival at the airport.
Tim Vickery
PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWSDynamic duo...with Neymar (left)“When I was a player, FIFA was some sort of strange, distant
organisation which had nothing to do with us”Big shots...Boban
(far right) with FIFA
dignitaries (from
left) Marco Villiger,
Gianni Infantino and
Fatma Samba Diouf
Samoura