Karl-Heinz Rummenigge would like the German Football Association (DFB) to work more closely with the world association Fifa. The DFB “should reinterpret its role in world football, not separate further,” demanded the former CEO of FC Bayern Munich in an interview with “Sport Bild”.
“By the way, you can certainly have solution-oriented discussions with Infantino,” said the 67-year-old. Shortly before the World Cup in Qatar, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf declared that he did not want to support Fifa President Gianni Infantino in his re-election next March.
With a view to the upcoming EM 2024 in his own country, Rummenigge is hoping for “a close alliance” between the Bundesliga, national team, DFB, fans and politics, “like it already was after a 1: 4 in Italy before the 2006 World Cup in Germany – it jumped out the summer fairy tale,” said the former world-class striker. “Football has to get back into the mainstream of society.”
Rummenigge, who is one of five external football experts on the DFB advisory board, did not talk about possible successors to DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, who resigned after the World Cup. Personnel discussions would not do justice to the matter, he said. “We have a year and a half ahead of us that will require good work.”
Rummenigge became more specific when asked whether Oliver Kahn should run for a place on the DFL presidium in the summer as successor to the outgoing Bayern CFO Jan-Christian Dreesen. He thinks it is important that FC Bayern “plays a strong role in the DFL, ideally with a seat on the executive committee,” explained Rummenigge. “Oliver would certainly be the best representative.”
Despite the lack of support from the German association, there is no way around another term for Infantino at the head of Fifa. As expected, no further candidacies had been received by the end of the application period in November 2022.
In the presidential election in March 2023 in Kigali/Rwanda, all 211 Fifa member countries each have one vote. Although Infantino, who has been in office since 2016, has been accused of various misconduct, the re-election of the Swiss is considered certain. The continental federations from South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania have already signaled their support for Infantino, the European federations did not manage to agree on a candidate and send him into the race, much to the annoyance of many fans.