LONDON: Former Portugal international Luis Figo said on Wednesday he wanted to stand for the FIFA presidency revealing his plans one day before nominations close to enter the race.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid playmaker announced his campaign in a statement timed for release with an interview with CNN and claimed he has the nominations needed for official challenge against incumbent Sepp Blatter.

“I care about football, so what I’m seeing regarding the image of FIFA — not only now but in the past years — I don’t like it,” the 42-year-old twice World Player of the Year said in the statement.

“If you search FIFA on the internet you see the first word that comes out: scandal — not positive words. It’s that we have to change first and try to improve the image of FIFA. Football deserves much better than this.

“Football has given me so much during my life and I want to give something back to the game.”

Figo is the latest to throw his hat in the ring alongside Blatter, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, former FIFA official Jerome Champagne of France, ex-France international David Ginola and Michael Van Praag, president of the Dutch FA.

Blatter is the strong favourite to get a fifth presidential term in the May 29 ballot despite bribery and financial scandals which have implicated several of his executive committee colleagues.

The deadline for would-be candidates to file nominations from five of FIFA’s 209 member federations is 2300 GMT on Thursday.

Figo said he had secured the necessary support from five national football associations, but declined to identify them.

“I’ve been talking with so many important people in football — players, managers, president of federations — and they all think that something has to be done,” added Figo, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2000 and was voted FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001.

“Last year was the World Cup, I was in Brazil and I saw the reaction of all the fans regarding the image of FIFA and I think something has to be changed. Change in leadership, governance, transparency and solidarity, so I think it’s the moment for that.

“Throughout my career I have worked at all levels of the game. This has given me a unique insight and understanding that I feel can enhance the discussion about the future of FIFA and the future of football.”

In his 20-year playing career Figo made nearly 800 appearances for Sporting Lisbon, Barca, Real and Inter Milan while playing a record 127 times for Portugal scoring 32 goals.

Figo, who has served on the UEFA Football Committee since 2011, added: “I am convinced that FIFA’s position as the governing body of world football is absolutely vital.

“For this to be preserved it is essential that we see change at the top and we set FIFA on a new course which is all about football and less about politics. This is why I am looking forward to getting on the road in the coming weeks, to explain in detail my programme and my vision.”

As one of the most famous footballers of his generation, Figo is the most high-profile candidate to have launched a bid to succeed Blatter.

The 78-year-old Swiss however has been tarnished by accusations of corruption stemming from the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively.

VAN PRAAG WANTS ONE TERM

Figo launched his campaign one hour before Netherlands federation (KNVB) president Van Praag held a news conference in Amsterdam to explain his bid.

Their rival campaigns suggest splits within UEFA, which is the only one of the six FIFA confederations officially opposing Blatter.

Figo was UEFA’s ambassador for the Champions League final in Lisbon last year, and Van Praag is an elected member of UEFA’s ruling board which met on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference to launch his campaign at the Amsterdam Arena on Wednesday, Van Praag named six countries who are backing him for the FIFA presidency.

Van Praag said he had sent the nominations from Belgium, Sweden, Scotland, Romania, the Faroe Islands and the Netherlands to FIFA in Zurich and also said he would only stand for one four-year term if elected.

“FIFA is constantly under suspicion of conflicts of interest, of nepotism, of corruption,” he said outlining his vision for the future of the world governing body.

“I believe the time has come to follow the strength of my convictions, to take responsibility. For this reason, I have put myself forward as a candidate.”

In the wake of Van Praag’s decision to challenge Blatter, Italian-Dutch football agent Mino Raiola said he is dropping plans to run for the FIFA presidency.

Last week Raiola said he would run for office in what looked more of a publicity stunt than a serious challenge and on Wednesday he told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad he was pulling out of the race.

“It is not about me but about getting a good candidate for the FIFA presidency. Now there is a good candidate,” he said in reference to Van Praag.” he said.

Published in Dawn January 29th, 2015

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