A cavalcade of blacked out Mercedes, flanked by police cars, rolled into the Fifa headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, earlier this week.

Infantino had summoned a select few members of the Fifa management board to discuss his plan to sell off 21% of the commercial and ticketing business to a private equity firm.

This is how the Swiss-Italian travels – in between flights on the Qatar Airways Executive jet which has been made available to him. The plane enabled him to take up to three flights a day, watching two games, throughout the 2026 World Cup.

That type of arrival does look presidential – only more like a president of a country than a sports body.

It enables him to travel the globe, visiting Fifa’s official offices like Rabat, where he was based over the past week as the Fifa Forward Enterprise controversy developed.

In his role Infantino is expected to visit the 211 member nations, to see the grassroots projects Fifa has funded.

Part of his remit is to unify football, which cannot be achieved from within the Fifa headquarters in Zurich.

It requires international travel to attend confederation meetings, and the global tournaments Fifa organises. Infantino needs to build relationships with officials and politicians.

In April, before the Fifa Congress in Vancouver, local authorities rejected a request for a level-four motorcade, usually reserved for heads of state or the Pope.

New Zealand police said they had declined a similar request during the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Alongside the cavalcade of cars and the private charter flights comes a large salary, too, three times what he first earned when elected in 2016.

Infantino, who was paid about £1.3m 10 years ago, now takes home about £4m – a base salary of £2.2m plus a confirmed variable bonus payment of £1.8m.

His predecessor Sepp Blatter was paid a £2.6m package for his final year as Fifa president.

Infantino gets a ‘per diem’ too to cover expenses and living costs, worth £20,500 a year on top of his salary.

As the head of the most popular sport in the world, it should be expected that there is a wage to match.

Infantino would argue that by driving record revenues and funding for member associations, he has proven he is worth the salary.

Both teams made two changes, with Glamorgan recalling strike bowler Van der Gugten and giving tall 24-year-old Australian paceman Connor O’Riordan, formerly with New South Wales academy, another chance to push his case for a longer contract.

The county is short of seam bowling resources for the closing block of the Championship, with Ned Leonard ruled out through injury, and breakthrough teenager Tom Norton also unlikely to appear again this year- highlighting the need to sign an experienced overseas bowler.

Meanwhile Essex had the luxury of resting paceman Jamie Porter, with Zaman Akhter and Charlie Bennett replacing Porter and Mitch Killeen.

Openers Thain and Benkenstein quickly tucked into all the Glamorgan bowling with the exception of Van der Gugten.

Thain was dropped off Romano Franco on 41 while Benkenstein smashed the young spinner out of the ground as the hundred came up in the 17th over.

Essex had 166 on the board by the halfway break, although Thain fell two balls later as he drilled Douthwaite to cover, having hit nine fours and a six.

Captain Tom Westley lofted Franco to long-on but Benkenstein moved confidently to three figures off just 94 balls for his maiden county century in any format.

With Benkenstein going even harder at the bowling in a stand of 67 with Matt Critchley (28), Essex looked in complete control before Glamorgan eventually found some relief.

Critchley was run out by Zain Ul Hassan in a mix-up, Benkenstein eventually chipped Douthwaite to mid-off and O’Riordan claimed his first county wicket when Grant Roelofson edged behind.

The crash of wickets continued with the last eight falling for just 55 runs, a remarkable contrast to the early Essex onslaught.

The bowlers’ domination continued in the Glamorgan innings as Eddie Byrom lofted Shane Snater to square leg and Ul Hassan (13) pulling Charlie Bennett to Jones at mid-on.

Jones was given catching practice with Colin Ingram and Jack Hope-Bell falling to mistimed attacking shots as Bennett and Snater made more inroads.

Harry Wallace’s first two scoring shots on home debut were sixes, a confident pull into the pavilion and a top edge over fine leg.

Wallace, the 17-year-old son of Glamorgan director of cricket Mark, hit four more boundaries in a promising knock of 39 before Jones had him caught behind to leave the hosts 78 for five.

Hard-hitting Horton, 22, looking to secure the Glamorgan wicket-keeper’s role in succession to veteran Chris Cooke, again proved his batting ability with his third substantial knock in seven games.

The century stand with Van der Gugten came off 94 balls to make sure the home crowd had something to cheer in the early evening sunshine, with the Netherlands international making his first white-ball 50.

Horton lofted four sixes and added eight fours to revive faint hopes for his side before Snater returned to induce him to slice a drive to backward point.

Glamorgan only had four wickets in hand with 84 runs needed off the final 10, and Douthwaite (13) was caught at long-off off Jones.

With captain Andy Gorvin providing willing support, Van der Gugten reached three figures in the 48th over off 93 balls and 20 were needed off the final two overs.

But Van der Gugten clubbed the final ball of the penultimate over from Snater for a straight six to leave Glamorgan needing only six off the last over.

Jones held his line and length to deliver three successive dot balls to Gorvin, and Glamorgan could manage only two singles as an unlikely victory eluded them.