Ramon Vega, invited to Kate and William's wedding, targets FIFA
Former Swiss international Ramon Vega announced on Wednesday his intention to run for the FIFA presidency election, scheduled for March 18 in Rabat, Morocco. The Swiss, 55, who played at Créteil in the early 2000s, is thus entering a race where Gianni Infantino, re‑elected in 2023, could be challenged.
A multilingual and international career
Vega speaks six languages – German, Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese – a rare asset in world football. A central defender, he wore the colours of Grasshoppers Zurich, where he won the Swiss championship, then Cagliari, Tottenham, Celtic Glasgow (Scottish treble in 2001), Watford and finally Créteil.
At Créteil, a club in Val‑de‑Marne, he played alongside well‑known players such as goalkeeper Stéphane Porato or former PSG international Sammy Traoré. His teammates also included Olivier Frapolli, now coach of Grenoble in Ligue 2, Patrick Blondeau, David Bettoni, Jaroslav Plasil and Marc Libbra.
The club then narrowly escaped the Ligue 2 table, finishing 17th out of 20 in 2003, thus avoiding relegation. That season marked Vega's last appearance in France before his retirement from professional football.
Ramon Vega challenges Infantino – Swiss former pro wants FIFA presidency
A pending candidacy for FIFA
The March 18 election in Rabat represents the first real challenge for Gianni Infantino since his acclamation in 2023. This time, several contenders, including Vega, could take him on.
Vega, who said on Wednesday that he wants to run, still needs to gather at least five federation endorsements before November 18, a prerequisite to appear on the ballot. To date, he has no official support.
Federations such as Germany's have recently spoken out against Infantino, while the Swiss Federation has withdrawn its backing from the incumbent president. These positions reinforce Vega's belief that he can compete with the current mandate.
Ramon Vega challenges Infantino and seeks to reform FIFA
The contrast between an invitation to a royal wedding and a political ambition at the pinnacle of world football shows how Vega's journey blends personal prestige with institutional stakes. If he manages to gather the required backing, he could well turn this duality into a new era for FIFA.