The timing of his latest comments has raised eyebrows across soccer because they sharply contrast with the enthusiasm he previously showed toward FIFA’s expanded tournament project. The relationship between Gianni Infantino and Florentino Perez has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points in world soccer after Real Madrid’s disastrous campaign forced a dramatic shift in narrative around the FIFA Club World Cup. Real Madrid entered the season with enormous expectations after another era of European success, but the Spanish giant ended the campaign empty-handed. Injuries piled up, performances declined, and criticism intensified, leaving Perez searching for explanations after one of the club’s most disappointing modern seasons.
The timing of his latest comments has raised eyebrows across soccer because they sharply contrast with the enthusiasm he previously showed toward FIFA’s expanded tournament project. What once appeared to be a competition Perez proudly championed has now become, in his eyes, a major reason behind Madrid’s physical collapse.
The campaign spiraled out of control for Real Madrid over several months. The club crashed out of the Copa del Rey in the round of 16, suffered elimination in the Champions League quarter-finals, and watched Barcelona secure La Liga with games remaining.
The pressure on Perez became even stronger after Madrid finished a second consecutive season without a major trophy, something that had not happened at the club in nearly two decades. Injuries became a recurring nightmare throughout the year, affecting key stars including Kylian Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and Eder Militao.
Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid goes down with an injury against Rayo Vallecano.
According to Transfermarkt’s data, Los Blancos have suffered 28 injuries during the campaign, something Perez believes was closely tied to the congested schedule created by the Club World Cup and the lack of a proper preseason.
Perez suddenly blames the Club World Cup
Speaking after announcing new presidential elections at Real Madrid, Perez openly pointed to the FIFA competition as the root of the club’s struggles. His comments immediately created tension around the tournament promoted heavily by FIFA president Infantino. “The root of this is the Club World Cup. We haven’t been able to recover physically; we were playing every three days and we didn’t take care of our fitness,” Perez said.
The stark difference between his new stance and his previous one caused that comment to go viral across European soccer. Only 11 months ago, Perez was one of the loudest supporters of the competition and publicly praised FIFA for making it happen.
That was not Perez’s stance back in summer 2025
Back in June 2025, Perez could hardly hide his excitement about the tournament. Speaking before Real Madrid’s Club World Cup opener against Al Hilal, he described the competition as a dream project he had personally fought to create. “I fought the hardest to make Club World Cup a reality,” Perez declared at the time.
Florentino Pérez gives his take on the beauty of the FIFA Club World Cup and the best teams in the world competing for gold. 🏆Catch the @fifacwc | June 14 – July 13 | Every game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/FJfcCQi4BW— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025
He also praised FIFA and the broader vision behind the tournament. “I want to thank FIFA for making this possible. It gives all the best clubs in the world a chance to compete in one tournament.” He went even further by calling the event a major step toward soccer’s future: “Football is the most global sport in the world. Because it’s free to watch, kids from all over the planet can see teams like Real Madrid play. That matters.”
Following Madrid’s disappointing season, his remarks appear very different now. The contrast has created an awkward situation for Infantino, whose flagship competition is suddenly being blamed by one of its strongest political allies.