Former FPF President welcomes successful bid to host 2030 World Cup, but without the power of Euro 2004

The former president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), Gilberto Madail, welcomed this Wednesday the successful Iberian-Moroccan candidacy for the organization of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, without the strength of Euro 2004 and with the South American “divangency”.

“At that time, our bet, well supported by the government, was on Portugal. Of course, it was also a bet on Portuguese football, but mainly on Portugal. Now, with these retreats, which I consider a retreat that there are games in North America, in the south and in Europe, this is different, we can no longer say that this is our World Cup, this is different,” Gilberto Madail said in an interview with the agency Lusa.

This Wednesday, FIFA decided to entrust the organization of the 2030 FIFA World Cup to Portugal, Spain and Morocco, and also promoted the controversy of three games in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to celebrate the centenary of the competition, the first edition of which was played. on Uruguayan soil.

Gilberto Madail led the FPF between 1996 and 2011, leading the organization in the Iberian bid for the 2018 World Cup, defeated by Russia in December 2010, already taking advantage of the legacy of Euro 2004, in stadiums, training centers and infrastructures, which he also led .

And despite adding defeat to the Iberian bid for the 2018 World Cup to the pain of the Euro 2004 final, Madail recalls that it was worth it: “Naturally, the sporting result was not what we wanted, but the result of the Impact on society. what happened at Euro 2004, the parties and the memories that people still have, I think it was extremely positive.”

“I have always thought that when the candidacy of Portugal and Spain is presented, it will be identical to the one we presented, which emphasizes the values ​​of Portugal, Spain and the peninsula. So it’s more diverse, more spread out, with Morocco and South America. From my point of view, this is a somewhat baffling decision, but it should be a decision to please the Greeks and Trojans, which is how FIFA operates. But I think it was good for Portugal and Spain,” he said.

For Fernando Gómez’s predecessor in the FPF, this decision to practically merge the two candidates into a single organization also demonstrates the lack of political investment in this project.

“I think there was no political force, there was no force within the football structures, as there was in 2004, to push through a joint candidacy between Portugal and Spain. It started with Portugal and Spain, then later Ukraine joined, then Morocco. This is a somewhat hybrid candidate, and the result is also hybrid,” he assessed.

The decision approved this Wednesday “does not think about the fans,” according to Gilberto Madaila, recalling the “financial failure” of Euro 2020, which was held in 11 cities in 11 countries on the European continent.

“Such important tournaments need to be concentrated because they provide much more opportunities for fans and much more income for the host countries,” he said.

Therefore, if he were responsible, he would despise the organization as it was presented.

“With Spain and Morocco – yes, now with Uruguay, Argentina or even Ukraine – I would never participate in something like that,” he concluded.

Portugal, home to Estádios da Luz, Dragao and José Alvalade, will make its World Cup debut after hosting Euro 2004, Spain hosted Euro 1964 and the 1982 World Cup, and Morocco hosted the African Cup of Nations (CAN). in 1988.

This will be the first time the World Cup will be shared between six countries. Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host three games to “celebrate the centenary” of the competition, the first of which took place on Uruguayan soil in 1930.