Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday said he feared that he was dying during a recent health issue.
The 79-year-old was admitted in the hospital earlier this month with stress-related illness.
"I was between the angels who were singing and the devil who was lighting the fire, but it was the angels who sang," Blatter was quoted as saying by the BBC.
"I was close to dying. At some stage the body says 'no, enough is enough'."
Despite also serving a 90-day FIFA suspension, France's Michel Platini is likely to succeed Blatter at FIFA's helm when the election is held in February.
On the question of whether or not the UEFA president would do well in FIFA, Blatter said: "Yes. If he comes back, he will be elected."