Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca has sharply criticized the United States’ foreign policy and FIFA’s leadership in a recent interview with French sports daily L’Équipe, expressing deep concern over the ongoing war in Ukraine. Fonseca, who previously managed Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, leveled particularly strong criticism at former U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Fonseca lauded French President Emmanuel Macron as a key ally to Ukraine, stating, “Emmanuel Macron was one of the best allies of Ukraine. He was perhaps the bravest president of all European countries. He was never afraid to stand up to Russia and sometimes even the United States, and we thank him for that. We need more Macrons. We needed more presidents with the courage of the French president. I have the impression that if it were up to him, Europeans would do much more. It would go beyond military aid, Europe would be bolder. He would show that he is not afraid of anyone.”
The Lyon manager contrasted Macron’s stance with what he perceives as a prioritization of economic interests over moral principles by the Trump administration. “The attitude of the American president consisted of forgetting, of ignoring the most disadvantaged and the weakest, and of standing on the side of his economic interests. The American president wasn’t thinking about people. He was thinking about money,” Fonseca said. He expressed concern that a just resolution to the conflict remains distant due to the current U.S. Administration’s perceived alignment with Russia and President Vladimir Putin, stating, “The last thing I do before sleeping is watching the news from Ukraine. We see how far we are from a solution, mainly because of the attitude of the President of the United States. He always seems to be on the side of Russia and Putin.”
Fonseca extended his criticism to FIFA, specifically condemning the organization’s consideration of allowing Russia to return to international competitions. He questioned the fairness of potentially allowing Russia to compete while Ukraine continues to play its matches in exile. “Infantino thinks that Russia should participate again in European competitions. Are we going to play against Russia in Moscow, while Ukrainians cannot play on their territory? A country that is attacked cannot play European competitions at home and Russia could? For me, it’s unacceptable,” he stated. He drew a parallel between Infantino and Trump, accusing both of prioritizing economic interests over humanitarian concerns. “Football cannot solve all the problems. But it can help to establish more justice in the world. But President Infantino does the same thing as President Trump. He looks at economic interests and forgets about people.”
Fonseca also questioned the appropriateness of the United States hosting the upcoming World Cup, suggesting that the tournament “should be played elsewhere, not in the United States, not right now.” He acknowledged his internal conflict as a football enthusiast but expressed his frustration with the direction of global sport. A post shared on social media on February 24, 2026, showed Fonseca stating, “Trump has decided to forget and ignore the most disadvantaged, the weakest. FIFA’s ‘Peace Prize’ is a disgrace. The World Cup should be played elsewhere.”
The manager’s comments reach after Lyon ended a winning streak with a defeat against Strasbourg in Ligue 1. Fonseca previously spent time in a bomb shelter in Kyiv with Roberto De Zerbi during Russian shelling, according to reports.
