FIFA president Gianni Infantino continued his charm offensive across
Southern Africa with a stop in Lesotho on Tuesday, who he says have
made great strides in the game in recent years.
The tiny Mountain Kingdom has a population of just over 2-million, but
often punch above their weight in international football and Infantino
says that is down to the ground-work laid by the local association.
โI am so deeply moved to be in Lesotho and to witness the amazing
passion the people of this country have for football,โ Infantino said.
โWe know football has a social role and we are investing a lot and
will invest even more in bringing footballโs values to young people.
Values like respect, team spirit, equality, inclusion, solidarity,
while at the same time promoting a healthy life.
โWe are writing a beautiful page of football here in Lesotho. What has
been done here in the past few years by the team of LFA, headed by
Salemane Phafane, is fantastic and more can be achieved by continuing
to work together.
โYou are truly living football in the kingdom and I thank you for
bringing hope and smiles to your children and for making your country
and Africa proud.โ
Lesotho started their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a
worthy point away in Sierra Leone and a 4-2 home loss to powerful
Nigeria, a game in which they led early on.
โYou might have a small territory but you have a big heart and even
bigger passion for football,โ Infantino added. โYour matches against
Ethiopia and Nigeria showed how much potential there is and we are
looking forward to working even closer together with you to take
football higher than the mountains that mark your beautiful
landscape.โ
The FIFA president will visit Madagascar, Mozambique, Lesotho, Angola,
DR Congo, Congo and Malawi, on what is essentially a promotional tour
as he consolidates support on the continent.
