Interview by Cyrille de La Morinerie and Lionel Rosso, edited by Gauthier Delomez 6:00 p.m., January 21, 2022

Former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter gave an exclusive interview to Europe 1. The former Swiss businessman returned to the project, wanted in particular by the current president of the world body Gianni Infantino, to play the World Cup every two years.

In "Europe 1 Sport", Sepp Blatter explains why, according to him, this reform "is of an imbecility without name".

INTERVIEW

It's not just football fans who speak out against plans for a World Cup every two years.

Exceptional guest of

Europe 1 Sport

, the former leader of Fifa, Sepp Blatter, considered that playing the World Cup at this rate "is unbelievably imbecilic".

A "mea culpa" as to his first position, in 1998, when he had just been elected president of the world football body.

"I had suggested, to please the Africans because they only had three representatives at the time, that we could organize a World Cup every two years", he says exclusively at the microphone. from Europe 1.

>> Find the full exclusive interview with Sepp Blatter on Sunday from 8 p.m. in Europe 1 Sport

A project that "is not good for football"

Sepp Blatter continues: "The Africans had applauded, but afterwards, people from my administration told me that I was wrong, so I gave up".

The reform, currently being discussed between the national football federations, is desired not only by the former French coach Arsène Wenger, but also by the president of Fifa, Gianni Infantino.

However, for his predecessor Sepp Blatter, this risks weighing down an "already so overloaded" football calendar.

"There is still something else", he adds on Europe 1. "Let's have a World Cup every two years. Who are the players (concerned)? It will always be the best players who are already overloaded in their competitions continental and national", argues the former boss of Fifa. Sepp Blatter recalls that "the basis of Fifa is the club and not the national team. This must remain the pinnacle of everyone", he says, defending the sacredness of the competition .

Among the arguments in favor of the reform, the provision of economic benefits.

The ex-leader does not seem convinced: "To say that we will have more money, I would like to see it".

And Sepp Blatter concludes, emphasizing the "imbecility" of the reform, that having Worlds every two years "is not good for football".