Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has openly criticized FIFA. He is upset that the global football governing body cleared Cristiano Ronaldo. This decision permits Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup.

Ronaldo had previously missed Portugal’s final qualifier against Armenia. However, FIFA later reduced his punishment to a single game. This made him available for the tournament’s first fixture.

Burley expressed his fury. He accused FIFA of bending its own rules. He believes they did this specifically to protect one of football’s biggest names.

Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley held nothing back. He stated, “If Gianni Infantino had any shame…” Burley further claimed Infantino would “sell his soul for money.” He cited the Club World Cup and the extended World Cup as clear examples of this behavior.

Burley added, “They have made a mockery of their own disciplinary process, a complete shame.” He warned that this action sends a damaging message. It suggests referees should avoid sending off major stars. Instead, they should focus on lesser-known players. This ensures big stars feature in prominent tournaments, he implied.

The football pundit also questioned the unique treatment of Ronaldo’s punishment. He asked, “When have you ever seen any player get a probation after getting sent off for violent conduct?” He insisted that a three-game ban is usually final. “It is a 3-game ban, and that is it,” Burley declared. He further argued, “you can’t give someone a three-game ban and tell them you can have two games off.”

The former Chelsea star maintained that any other player would have served the full suspension. Such a ban would have ruled them out of the World Cup’s early stages. He stressed, “If that had been any other player… they would have three-game suspension.” Burley concluded, they “would have missed the World Cup or the first couple games of the World Cup.”

Burley concluded that FIFA’s handling of the situation showed clear favoritism. He boldly declared, “But for Cristiano Ronaldo, there are different rules.” He then challenged FIFA, asserting, “if FIFA try to tell you anything different, then they are talking absolute nonsense.”