Malta FA president Norman Darmanin Demajo is confident that newly-elected FIFA president Gianni Infantino is the right man to steer the scandal-plagued world football body out of the doldrums.
“I honestly feel that the right man has been elected as FIFA president,” Darmanin Demajo told Times of Malta after Infantino, the general secretary of UEFA, won yesterday’s election to succeed Sepp Blatter at the head of world football’s governing body.
“FIFA can now begin to turn the page.”
Infantino polled 115 votes in the second ballot, 27 more than closest rival Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa.
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein (four votes) and Jerome Champagne (0) were third and fourth respectively.
The Malta FA president believes Infantino has the knowhow and experience to reform FIFA after establishing himself as one of the most influential figures at UEFA.
“His (Infantino’s) experience and the work he has done at UEFA is a good omen of what is to come in my opinion,” Darmanin Demajo said.
His election has elicited a great sense of optimism
“I’m convinced that Gianni Infantino will prove himself. His election has elicited a great sense of optimism.”
The MFA’s position in the lead-up to the election had come under increased scrutiny.
Having heeded UEFA’s call to support Prince Ali bin al-Hussein at the last FIFA presidential election, the Malta FA stuck to its guns by nominating the head of the Jordanian FA for yesterday’s vote but still played a big role in Infantino’s election as Prince Ali’s votes swayed the balance in the Swiss lawyer’s favour in the second round.
While stressing that the MFA’s relationship with Infantino is excellent, Darmanin Demajo believes that the association has won the admiration of many thanks to its firm and unequivocal stance since the tumultuous FIFA congress of last May.
“Our relationship with Gianni Infantino is great, we have co-operated well together on many things especially through Bjorn Vassallo (the MFA general secretary) who knows him very well,” Darmanin Demajo reflected.
“I believe that we have gained more respect with the way the MFA acted. We pledged our support to Prince Ali and we stuck with that.
“In the second round, it was clear that Infantino was in with a good chance and we voted for him.
“In a way it was a win-win situation for us.”