Football

Motsepe election: FIFA President praises African “team spirit”

Patrice Motsepe the South African candidate to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) addresses the media during a press conference delivering his manifesto in Johannesburg on February 25, 2021. – Motsepe is running against three other candidates, Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast, Augustin Senghor of Senegal and Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stressed the importance of “team spirit” to project African football to the top of the world in his address to the 43rd CAF Ordinary and Elective General Assembly that took place today in Rabat.

“We know the values of football, but the most important value is team spirit. This is the team spirit that we have witnessed these days in Africa”.

Referring to the future of African football, the FIFA President said: “I have already said it, and I say it again. We must stop saying that it is necessary to develop African football. It is about projecting it to the summit of world football.

“The time for talking has stopped. We must move on, and we must move on as a team: as a CAF team and a FIFA team that also includes all the confederations and associations from all over the world. You are CAF. You are FIFA.”

In relation to Patrice Motsepe, who was today elected as the new CAF President, the FIFA President commented: “I want to wish all the very best for the next four years, to the new leading team of CAF, of African football, and to Patrice Motsepe, to all those who have been involved, to Augustin, Ahmed, Jacques and everyone. I want to assure you that FIFA is not at your side. FIFA is together with you.”

Tom Kirkwood

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