We were never the greatest side in the world and additional opponents to compete against greatly improved our chances of actually winning a match. Of course, we would always leave with a coveted participation trophy but it was that much sweeter if we had managed to get three points on the board.

Perhaps the feeling is similar among the smaller nations of world football following FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s public announcement that the World Cup could grow to incorporate 48 teams – yes, 48 – from as early as 2026.

After all, it gives them the opportunity to face some of the big boys on the planet’s grandest stage. It gives them the opportunity to experience the glitz, glamour and glory of playing at the hallowed World Cup.

As enticing as that may be, the reality is they will be making a potentially long and arduous journey just to play one match as under Infantino’s plans, a play-off knockout round, where 16 teams would be eliminated, could be installed before the group phase.

From then on, it would be business as usual, unlike the Swiss-Italian’s proposals, which veer towards the unusual.

Infantino clearly disagrees. "This gives more chances for more teams," he said in a recent interview with Agence France Presse.

“Furthermore, there would be no impact on the football calendar because these play-off matches would be played instead of friendlies before the World Cup.

“From the point of view of the promotion of football, there would be ’16 finals’ before the real start of the group phase, real matches taking place to determine the 16 teams.”

What Infantino is missing here is that the extra matches would surely dilute the quality of the competition and of the tournament as a whole. This was evident during this summer’s European Championships in France, where the expansion from 16 to 24 sides had a dramatic effect, particularly on the group phase.

Under the altered format at Euro 2016, countries knew they could finish third and still progress - (four of the six sides who ended outside of the top two did just that) – which put paid to many of the expected thrilling affairs between two teams who might otherwise have been desperate for a win to reach the next round. Instead, out came the calculators to work out ridiculously complicated mathematical equations to see who had made the last 16 and who would be going home.

Often, though, organisations such as UEFA and FIFA ignore this rather obvious flaw because they know the extra matches will generate additional revenue. They are fully aware the cash cow will be milked further if they get more nations to take part.

While this was almost certainly part of Infantino’s thinking, his main aim would have been to appease the Confederations who have become increasingly indignant over what they feel is an unfair allocation of places at the World Cup. Of the 32 nations who graced Brazilian soil at the 2014 edition of FIFA’s showpiece event, over a third - 13 - were European.

This imbalance has been an ever-present issue within the Confederations and the growth to 48 teams should go some way to addressing that. After a tumultuous start to his reign as FIFA President, including the debacle over his expenses and the public spat with Domenico Scala, which led to his resignation as head of the independent Audit and Compliance Committee, Infantino will be craving a win and he perhaps sees this project as his best way of getting one.

There’s little doubt the FIFA Council, which meets in Zurich next Thursday (October 13) and Friday (October 14), will be all smiles and nods when discussions on Infantino’s proposals come to the table. Many of the newly-elected members, including Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) President Victor Montagliani, will be unwilling to rock the boat in their first official duty as part of the ruling body.

Montagliani, elected to lead the corruption-hit CONCACAF at the organisation’s Congress in May, will be particularly keen to ensure he stays on the right side of Infantino, who has already demonstrated his ruthless streak in dealing with the likes of Scala, particularly as the Confederation he leads has already emerged as the favourite to secure the hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup.

The United States are widely expected to bid and many are of the opinion that Infantino and co will award them the tournament for the first time since 1994. If you pay attention to the FIFA rumour mill, which carries on turning no matter what time of year, the US is nailed on after Sunil Gulati, President of U.S Soccer and a Council member, lobbied especially hard for the Swiss to land the top job at world football’s governing body back in February.

Canadian Montagliani has already thrown his support behind Infantino’s expansion pledge during the Leaders Sport Business Summit at Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club, earlier this week.

“I think it is pretty obvious that the tournament will not stay at 32 teams," he said.

"It probably should be expanded, yes.

"For some countries to just dream of making it into a World Cup provides a platform for growth in the sport and in sponsorship and I think it is an opportunity that cannot be missed."

What also cannot be missed is the simple fact that a 48-team World Cup is far from an appealing prospect. In this writer's opinion, It makes little logistical sense, is plagued with faults and would only diminish FIFA’s most treasured product.

Toying with the World Cup format is not what is needed at FIFA. The gathering of the top brass in the Swiss city this week is far more important than cosmetic changes to a tournament which does not need the full-scale overhaul that will be debated.

There remains a long way to go until FIFA can rid itself of the tarnished reputation which lingers over their Zurich HQ and we may get an even clearer indication of the path they plan to take after the Council meeting.

All of those attending need to ask themselves these questions: is expanding the World Cup really the way to change that for the better and for good? Or should we focus on other areas until we have got our feet firmly back on the ground?