LODZ, Poland -- As Gianni Infantino handed the under-20 Women's World Cup trophy to Cristina Libran, the captain of newly crowned champions Spain, it was as much a victory for the embattled FIFA president as it was for the players celebrating their triumph on the pitch.
Infantino loves a photo opportunity -- his Instagram account offers almost daily proof of that -- but here he was, overseeing another trophy presentation, in the hostile environment of European football, and at the end of a tournament that almost didn't happen because of the conflict he triggered among the sport's power brokers.
Behind his celebratory grin, Infantino would have known he was planting his flag on enemy territory and making a statement: He is getting on with the business of being reelected as president. Sources have told ESPN that he is growing in confidence that he will succeed.
Just two months ago, Infantino was facing a battle for survival in the role he has occupied since 2016. It came after his failed attempt to raise $20 billion by selling off a stake in future FIFA tournaments -- most significantly the Men's World Cup -- to Thrive Capital, a New York-based venture capital investment company headed by Josh Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Infantino's plan, known only to a small circle of close advisers, led to fury within the wider football community, and for the first time since succeeding the discredited Sepp Blatter 10 years ago, Infantino's hopes of remaining in post were put in grave doubt. The confederations of Europe, North and Central America, and Asia -- UEFA, Concacaf and AFC -- publicly called for Infantino to step down, while UEFA vowed to boycott all future FIFA tournaments, including the under-20 Women's World Cup here in Poland, until the 56-year-old surrendered his position.
UEFA also announced plans to pursue a criminal complaint against Infantino, who is its former secretary general. The confederation alleged "criminal mismanagement" regarding his attempt to cash in on the World Cup with the proposal to raise funds and generate an instant $20 million windfall for each of FIFA's 211 member associations. But UEFA's boycott threat was compromised by Poland's status as host of the women's under-20 World Cup -- a tournament that had flown under the radar until it emerged as the litmus test of the confederation's readiness to stand together as 55 member nations and refuse to participate in any FIFA competition.
Had UEFA held firm and Poland stepped down as host, Infantino would likely have been forced into an admission of defeat. But on Aug. 26, UEFA dropped its boycott threat, saying it had received assurances from FIFA that there would be no repeat of the World Cup sell-off plan.
So, the 24-team tournament in Poland went ahead. And on Sunday, there was Infantino, fresh off an 8-hour, 40-minute overnight flight from Antigua on the Qatar Executive Gulfstream Jet made available for him by Qatar Airways. FIFA has previously told ESPN that "travel is organized on commercial (including low-cost) airlines and sometimes it is on private charter, depending on which is more efficient and cost-effective under the circumstances."
Antigua to Poland is certainly an unusual route, but it is a window into Infantino's world. He has always been a globetrotter as FIFA president, but recent days and weeks have highlighted the realpolitik of his reelection bid. He turns up, shakes hands, poses for pictures, cuts the ribbon on a new FIFA-funded pitch and jumps back onto the Gulfstream, primed to do it all again the following day.
In the past week alone, Infantino has visited Saudi Arabia to attend games at the Arabian Gulf Cup, Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, Saint Kitts & Nevis and Antigua, as well as held meetings in New York with the president of the Pakistan Football Federation, the prime minister of Bhutan and the president of Kenya.
Winning reelection at the FIFA congress next March is all about securing the votes of FIFA's 211 members. If Infantino can count on a simple majority -- 106 votes -- he wins. Despite Concacaf stating its opposition to Infantino, some of its Caribbean nations have already peeled off to individually back him.
"We discussed the situation that has been ongoing and we're going to say here, openly, that we're here to continue to support you [Infantino] in your vision," Atiba Harris, president of the St Kitts and Nevis Football Association, said.
Kieron Edwards, the president of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association, said: "We would have given President Infantino our full support and we have not wavered with that. FIFA is our largest supporter when it comes to our infrastructure."
To cap a productive week for Infantino in the Caribbean, Michael Ricketts, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, said: "I am a fan of Infantino. I'm also a fan of [Concacaf president Victor] Montagliani, but I am going to stand up, raise my hand in support of Infantino and just hope that when elections come around, he is returned as FIFA president."
Montagliani, FIFA vice president and former president of the Canadian Soccer Association, is reportedly Infantino's most likely challenger, and he would have the backing of UEFA, AFC and Concacaf, but the 61-year-old is yet to declare his candidacy ahead of the Nov. 18 deadline for submissions.
Sources have told ESPN there might be developments on a challenger to Infantino following the European Football Clubs General Assembly in Copenhagen this week. Strong opposition to Infantino remains, and sources have said that the FIFA president's decision to hire the services of renowned marketing guru Martin Sorrell is a sign of his determination to consolidate his reelection bid.
One source told ESPN that "the only way Gianni doesn't win is if he doesn't stand, because he has the votes." That will be a galling prospect for the key figures at UEFA, but it is the associations that have benefited from Infantino's 10-year reign that are most likely to keep him in power. His letter to the 211 members last week, in which he sought "feedback" and "dialogue" about "reforms," might ultimately have done nothing to shift any of the electorate from their already entrenched positions on both sides of the aisle, only that might not matter.
"Gianni's fully focused on continuing the work of the FIFA president -- listening and engaging so everyone's view is heard," a FIFA source told ESPN in Lodz. "He's democratically elected and nothing has changed. He's not being distracted by the noise. He wants to continue to develop the game for everyone, everywhere in the world.
"Look at the reaction he receives in many countries: selfie requests, there's clear respect and trust in him and for FIFA. He's never been more engaged with the game and no other leader in football speaks to as many different people as he does."
And that is perhaps the key. Infantino is the classic retail politician, but his rival -- if he has one -- has yet to show their face.
So, Infantino has the field to himself (for now, anyway), and he is making it count -- literally.