At home he has to deal with attacks from those representing the game – such as former great Romario, now a Parliamentarian. He believes Teixeira should give up some of his vast powers, which also include being head of the 2014 World Cup and a FIFA executive committee member.
Teixeira though, is unlikely to give up the powers easily but he could be forced to soon. He is currently being investigated for fraud back in his homeland, and has the most significant political enemy possible – President Dilma Rousseff.
He is also under fire over a potential revealing of ISL documents, the former marketing partner of FIFA, which are believed to allege that Teixeira took kick backs from the now defunct organisation. Sepp Blatter, FIFA President, has said he will release these files and so Teixeira finds himself politically isolated – the President of his country and of FIFA are both breathing down his neck.
If anyone’s head at FIFA will roll, it is likely to be Teixeira. He even managed the feat of getting Blatter to stand up for England, when he suggested their journalists would have their lives made hell at the 2014 World Cup. Blatter commented that this was hardly fair play – but little would Teixeira care.
Earlier this year he rejected one of the game’s greatest legends, Pele, when he refused to invite him to the World Cup 2014 draw in Rio de Janeiro; it was Rousseff who was forced to issue an invitation to him in order to avoid the embarrassment of the Brazilian legend not being there.
And then there are the fans – who have organised protests against him in the past and who are keen to see him step down from his post at the 2014 World Cup. It is likely that the World Cup will be a missed opportunity, and the delays that continue to afflict Brazil’s preparations are largely Teixeira’s making. He has allowed the problem to fester and worsened it; politicking by delaying on naming the host cities for the World Cup, thus putting organisation back years.
Teixeira has been increasingly pressured in recent months, but this seems like the end game for the Brazilian. He twists and turns and holds onto his job, but the net seems to be closing on a 22 year career at the head of the Brazilian game. When he finally goes, few will miss him.
