Diego Maradona Blasts Sepp Blatter, Calls Impact on FIFA a 'Disgrace'

Football legend Diego Maradona launched a scathing attack on FIFA President Sepp Blatter in an exclusive piece for the Daily Telegraph, claiming the longtime boss of the sport's most powerful organisation has made a "disgrace" of the game.

Tsafrir Abayov/Associated Press

With FIFA's presidential elections just around the corner, the World Cup winner didn't hold any punches:

"

In the last few decades, football has changed – and not for the better. Once, it was a sport you could be proud of, a sport that united the world. But Fifa, its governing body, has turned into a playground for the corrupt.

Most football fans can predict what I am about to say next: Under Sepp Blatter, Fifa has become a disgrace and a painful embarrassment to those of us who care about football deeply.

"

Maradona is but the latest in a long line to voice his concerns regarding the direction FIFA is headed under the guidance of Blatter. Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany recently took to Twitter, and his message was a bleak one:

Under Blatter, FIFA has grown into a powerful, well-oiled machine that has taken the popularity of the sport to new heights. But for all of the positives Blatter has introduced, there has been plenty of room for controversy as well.

AP Sports dedicated an entire article to the topic, including FIFA's handing the 2022 World Cup to Qatar under dubious circumstances and bribery scandals:

Even comedians, such as John Oliver (NSFW language), have spoken out about the situation, but despite the mainstream attention, it appears Blatter is headed for a fifth term as FIFA president. Luis Figo withdrew his candidacy, voicing the same concerns Maradona did, as reported by BBC Sport. And heading into the election, Blatter runs virtually unopposed.

Maradona is hardly free of controversy himself—ask English fans of the game for starters—but, per Beyond the Pitch's Anto, it's hard to disagree with the message he voiced during his interview:

Despite all the criticism, Blatter is the enormous favourite to win FIFA's presidential elections on Friday, May 29. And no matter how many scathing articles some of the sport's greats contribute to the topic, it appears FIFA will continue in the same direction.

Follow @ReverschPass