The recently concluded edition of the Fifa World Cup will be best remembered for controversies and conspiracy theories. This is thanks to US President Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino, president of the game’s global watchdog, Fifa.On Sunday, when Spain beat Leo Messi-led Argentina in the finals, Trump predictably inserted himself into the celebrations. Clumsily, after the conclusion of the medal awards, he stayed on stage with the winning team, a break with tradition. Ordinarily, host country presidents and the Fifa higher-ups, including the winning association’s president, leave the stage, focusing the limelight squarely on the players.The singing of the US national anthem ahead of the finalists’ was further evidence of his fingerprints. But these details were mere frivolities in comparison.More damning was Infantino’s bending over backwards to appease Trump. In 2025, he gave Trump an unknown “peace prize” — which, even by its fantastical standards, the recipient made a mockery of by invading Iran.The Iranian team had to play and leave the country after their matches in American cities. Trump grudgingly allowed the Iranian team to get travel documents. An African referee was denied entry into the US to officiate in the tournament. Fifa, which normally bullies host governments to assert its authority, did nothing to get the referee into the US.During the tournament, Fifa overturned a red card ban for a match on a US striker. This was after Trump leaned on Infantino to reconsider the decision.In a way, Fifa’s president invited politics into the game of football. This is a breach of Fifa’s own statutes which strictly forbid politicians from interfering.Infantino, who is getting increasingly unpopular with powerful affiliates of the body, will be known as the president who started with hope that he would clean the game’s image but turned into a disappointment of mammoth proportions.That his tenure does not represent progress is an extraordinary achievement. When he took over from Sepp Blatter, the disgraced long-time Fifa president, the bar was woefully low. The body was mired in corruption scandals that ended up in prosecutions and lifetime bans for those implicated.Infantino soon became too big. He angered affiliates by nibbling into their income streams.Through extra Fifa tournaments, the continental football bodies are now having to contend with punishing club-level competition.During the tournament, he proved to be out of touch with football lovers, the game’s main stakeholders. Memorably, he dismissed genuine concerns about ticket and hotel prices as well as the impact of US immigration regulations on attendance.Poor refereeing is another fault that has to be laid squarely at the door of the world’s governing body. Questionable refereeing decisions opened it to accusations that he was unfairly shielding stars such as Argentina’s Lionel Messi.Though the duo’s role represents low moments of this tournament’s edition, there are other aspects they failed to spoil.A few stand out. For a start, this world will be remembered for featuring many stars of the game. Messi, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé were a joy to watch. Though Mbappé, the French captain, failed to lead France to the finals, he dazzled and scooped up the Golden Boot in the process. The same can be said for the expanded list of African teams ― nine out of 10 of which made it to the knockout rounds.It’s a pity for the genuinely inspiring aspects of the game to be sullied by the machinations of power. The end of the tournament should mark the start of reflection about protecting the game from political meddling.