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Portuguese great Figo becomes latest shock candidate to stand up for FIFA presidency

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ANI London
Last Updated : Jan 29 2015 | 11:55 AM IST

Portuguese great Luis Figo has made a bid for the role of FIFA president to become the latest shock candidate for the same.

The former Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan forward wants to replace Sepp Blatter as boss of world football's governing body.

Figo announced his bid for the FIFA presidency after Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) president Michael van Praag said on Wednesday that he would be a candidate, the BBC reported.

Blatter has been FIFA boss since 1998 and said in June 2014 that he intended to run for a fifth term.

Retired France international player David Ginola and fellow Frenchman Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA executive and ex-diplomat, have already announced their intention to stand against Blatter, along with Prince Ali of Jordan who is backed by the Football Association.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Football Association is backing Van Praag.

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Figo is standing after Blatter was criticised for FIFA's handling of Michael Garcia's report into alleged corruption during the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The former Portugal international, who won 127 caps, said that football has given him so much during his life and he wants to give something back to the game. He added that he looks at the reputation of FIFA right now and doesn't like it, claiming that football deserves better.

Figo added that in recent weeks, months, and even years, he has seen the image of FIFA deteriorate, adding that as he speaks to many people in football so many of those people have told him that something has to be done.

Figo, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2000 and was FIFA world player of the year in 2001, made a controversial move from Barcelona in 2000 to bitter La Liga rivals Real Madrid for a then world record fee of 37 million pounds, and won the Champions League with Real in 2002.

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First Published: Jan 29 2015 | 11:40 AM IST

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