UNLIKELY ALLIES: WHY TOM BRADY IS DEFENDING FIFA’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL LEADER TODAY
Tom Brady calls Gianni Infantino a "man of the people!" Read the backlash from soccer fans and Arsene Wenger’s surprise defence.
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Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champ, is catching some heat after he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino a “man of the people". Brady’s praise comes at a time when a lot of folks are still upset about Infantino’s run at FIFA, which started back in 2016. His time in charge hasn’t exactly been smooth. We’re talking about two World Cups, one in Russia and one in Qatar, that stirred up plenty of trouble. And this summer, tickets for the tournament in the US, Canada, and Mexico are more expensive than ever.
Infantino doesn’t shy away from controversy, either. When critics slammed the Qatar World Cup, he fired back, accusing European media of “hypocrisy” and "racism". Then he gave that infamous speech where he said, “Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arabic. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel like a migrant worker.” The whole thing set off a firestorm.
He’s also pretty cosy with Donald Trump. Just last December, he handed Trump the very first FIFA Peace Prize, which left a lot of people scratching their heads.
Now, with Infantino coming up on ten years at the top, Brady decided to sing his praises. Brady, who owns a chunk of English soccer club Birmingham City, really laid it on thick. “What Gianni has done in terms of his leadership, his inclusion, I think Gianni is a man of the people, and he’s always out there celebrating the great parts of the sport,” Brady told FOX Sports.
He went on: “I think he’s made great contributions to the world of football, and getting a chance to know him and understand the kind of person he is and the values he represents, I think that really showcases itself within the broader goals of what football is all about. Football is for everyone. It’s a chance for all of us to connect globally over something that we love.”
Brady joined Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O’Neal, and Aaron Judge at the World Cup Draw, representing American sports alongside other big names.
But let’s be real, Brady’s glowing comments aren’t likely to sit well with a lot of soccer fans who see Infantino as a controversial figure. Still, Brady’s not the only one piling on the praise. Arsene Wenger, former Arsenal manager and now FIFA’s Chief of Football Development, also spoke up for Infantino as his tenth anniversary approaches. Wenger said, “Gianni is somebody who wants to move forward. He’s always open to new ideas, and I’m grateful he was a huge supporter of my suggestions to educate the players in the academies in the countries and to develop all the countries.”
DEXTER LAWRENCE TRADE REQUEST LOOMS OVER GIANTS' PREPARATIONS FOR PITTSBURGH NFL DRAFT
Dexter Lawrence wants out! Discover why the Giants are considering a trade before the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
The New York Giants might have no choice but to trade Dexter Lawrence before the NFL Draft. Negotiations on a new contract with the star defender have hit a wall, and Lawrence already asked for a trade earlier this month. He's skipped the team’s first offseason practices under new head coach John Harbaugh, which hasn’t helped matters.
At this point, the Giants have been talking with several teams about a possible deal for Lawrence. With the draft coming up in Pittsburgh next week, the pressure is on. They need picks, and right now they only hold two selections in the top 100. Harbaugh’s trying to breathe new life into the roster, but he needs more draft capital to do it.
News of the stalled negotiations came just hours after GM Joe Schoen sounded pretty upbeat, saying talks had been "productive". He explained that he, Harbaugh, and senior VP Dawn Aponte were all in regular contact with Lawrence’s reps, looking for some kind of resolution. Schoen insisted they want Dexter to stay, but he admitted it’s out of their hands now. They’ll just have to see what happens.
Lawrence, 28, signed a four-year, $90 million extension last year. Since then, defensive contracts have exploded, so his deal has dropped to just 11th among league defenders. On top of that, the team’s shaken up its roster, letting go of many Lawrence’s close teammates like Saquon Barkley.
Lawrence has been with the Giants since they drafted him 17th overall in 2019. He’s played his whole seven-year career in New York, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl and two second-team All-Pro honours. His career stats include 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception. But last year wasn’t great; he only managed half a sack, eight QB hits, and a pass rush win rate of 8.3 per cent for a team that finished 4-13. It’s hard to tell if he’ll stay with the Giants much longer.
RORY MCILROY TARGETS SEVENTH MAJOR AT ARONIMINK FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL MASTERS DEFENSE
No long break for Rory McIlroy! After his 6th major win, McIlroy eyes the PGA Championship at Aronimink this May.
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Rory McIlroy isn’t following the same script after this Masters win. When reporters asked if he’d take another long break, as he did in 2025, Rory had a different plan in mind.
He’s not disappearing for months this time. Instead, he’s taking a couple of weeks off before jumping back into PGA Tour action. The next big event on the calendar is the PGA Championship, starting May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, but it sounds like Rory wants to get some tournament play before then.
He talked about his mindset shift after winning again at Augusta. “My schedule’s going to be different this year,” he said on April 13. “Last year, I thought winning the Grand Slam would be the destination. But actually, it’s just part of the ride. Now that I’ve won my sixth major, I feel great about my game and my body.
“I waited ages to win the Masters, and then I won two in a row. I definitely want to enjoy this. I’ll take a couple weeks off, but I don’t think I’ll hit that motivation lull I felt last year after the win.”
So, what comes next for Rory? He’s skipping the RBC Heritage this week, and his appearance at the Zurich Classic isn’t confirmed either.
Then, there’s Donald Trump, who might’ve let the cat out of the bag. After congratulating Rory on social media, Trump said he was looking forward to watching him at Doral during the Cadillac Championship on April 30. That’s not an official confirmation, but it’s a pretty solid clue that Rory’s next start could be there.
Now that he’s up to six majors and finally has back-to-back Masters titles, Rory’s thinking ahead. The next big stop? The PGA Championship, where he’ll chase number seven. But he’s not feeling satisfied just yet.
“I don’t want to put a hard number on it, but this is just part of the journey,” he said. “I’ve still got things I want to accomplish even as I make sure I enjoy the moment, too.”
