Luis Figo to challenge Sepp Blatter for FIFA presidency
 Former Portugal star Figo is one of a number of candidates to have recently declared their interest in the role, which will be decided by a vote of the 209 Member FAs at the FIFA Congress on May 29. Figo, who has served on the UEFA Football Committee from 2011 to 2015, issued a statement saying he will run a campaign for change, focusing on "better governance, more transparency, increased solidarity and the protection of true football values." He added in an interview with CNN: "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. "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. "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. "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." Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term, remains the firm favourite for the role but now faces competition from former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne, Jordanian FA president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, Dutch FA chairman Michael van Praag, former France international David Ginola and Figo. Former Chile FA chief Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who had previously worked as a FIFA official and had considered entering the race, confirmed on Wednesday that he had decided not to compete for the role. Figo, 42, played at clubs including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan during his career and won the Ballon d'Or in 2000 as well as the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2001. |
