Gianni Infantino is rarely the easiest figure in football to defend, and a resurfaced corner kick clip has only made that job harder.
The FIFA president is used to controlling the stage from boardrooms, podiums, and VIP seats. Put a ball at his feet near the corner flag, and the image changes very quickly.
Infantino steps up, looking ready to deliver into the box, but the ball flies straight on instead, giving fans the sort of awkward football moment they were always going to enjoy.
Infantino was wearing the captain's armband when he stepped up to take the corner during the pre-tournament friendly, which explains why the footage exists at all.
The delivery was the problem. Instead of curling the ball into the box, Infantino drove it straight on and out of danger, producing a set piece that looked more like a miscued clearance.
It was not a serious football failure, but it was a perfect internet clip. A FIFA president can survive a bad corner, but not without supporters turning it into a running joke.
"Just as bad as you'd expect," said another fan bluntly.
"He should resign ASAP. He knows nothing about football," said one angry fan.
"Hence why FIFA is about money and not the sport. Dude can't even hit a corner anywhere near the 6-yard box," said another fan.
"Wow. Never kicked a ball in his life," observed another fan.
"WTF was that??!! Aaaand the obvious question is, Has this cat running FIFA ever kicked a soccer ball?" questioned one fan.
Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images
The responses show fans treating Infantino's corner pretty harshly, but it is a funny mistake from FIFA's most powerful figure.
The resurfaced clip also lands while criticism around Infantino's FIFA is already loud before the 2026 World Cup.
The expanded tournament will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico , and Canada . That scale has brought scrutiny over ticket prices, dynamic pricing, fan access, host-city costs, and FIFA's transparency.
Infantino has also faced questions over his political closeness to Donald Trump, while fan groups have criticized pricing that risks shutting ordinary supporters out of the tournament.
None of that makes a bad corner more than a bad corner. It only makes the symbolism easier for critics because many already believe FIFA misses the mark under Infantino.
The hopeful part is still on the field. Once the World Cup begins, the players, crowds, and 48-nation spectacle may still give casual fans enough football to drown out the noise around FIFA.
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