FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lashed out at critics of this summer’s World Cup. In a long Instagram post, he accuses them of spreading hate and false rumours rather than welcoming the tournament as a positive event.

According to HBL, the post ran to 15 pages, making it an unusually extensive social media statement from one of football’s most powerful figures. The exact trigger for his reaction is not clear from the available information, but the message suggests FIFA’s leadership is pushing back against the criticism surrounding the competition.