Miguel Macedo had shown his value to soccer’s top leader for months. Now, on the morning of Gianni Infantino’s first day as FIFA president, Macedo would demonstrate his connections, and his usefulness, once again.
Minutes after Infantino set foot inside FIFA’s glass-and-steel headquarters on the first day of his presidency in February 2016, he was met by a collection of former stars: World Cup winners, national team legends, Champions League heroes. All of them had been invited by Macedo to play alongside the new president in a small tournament on one of the manicured fields outside.