FIFA President Gianni Infantino said
Monday that he supported the idea of naming Rome's Olimpico
Stadium after 1982 World Cup winning hero Paolo Rossi, who died
at the age of 64 in December 2020, and defended the
controversial idea of holding a World Cup every two years.
"We have to support the idea of naming the Stadio Olimpico after
Paolo Rossi," Infantino told RAI radio.
"No one had an impact on Italians abroad like he did.
"After the 1982 World Cup, all the Italians around the world
were seen differently... young people must remember Rossi".
Last week the Lower House passed a motion committing the
government to weighing the possibility of naming the ground
after the former Vicenza, Juventus and AC Milan star, who top
scored in the 1982 tournament in Spain as the Azzurri swept to
victory in the final against West Germany after earlier beating
short-odd favourites Brazil with a Rossi hat-trick.
As for holding the World Cup every two years, Infantino stressed
that the FIFA congress had requested a feasibility study on
this, not him.
"We did a very serious study," he said.
"It works from a sporting point of view. The economic impact is
positive for everyone.
"The Euros could have the same frequency".
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