Figo needs no introductions - he is amongst the great portuguese ones like Eusébio or Ronaldo. Having had a very successful career, the now former player aims higher. FIFA, the world governing body of football, is his next step. Elections for the presidency are on schedule for May 29th, this year, and the player announced his candidacy.
The one who has been captain of the Portuguese National Team shows concern about the current situation of Football and is explicit in his word of criticism regarding the behaviour of FIFA in the past years. And calls for urgent transparency of the organization.
In an interview released today, January 28th, by the US television channel CNN, Figo claims to be a challenge that he enjoys persuading people to give him their support - and still added that he has had several conversations with influential figures from world soccer, from players to presidents, and that is the unanimous opinion that actions need to be taken to reform the current reality.
The player still holding the title for most games played with the national team sweater will formalize his candidacy this afternoon. According to official sources from the site "Observador", the international footballer fulfils certain requirements such as having the support of five federations, at least.
The portuguese site also reveals that the application, being Thursday the deadline, will be delivered this afternoon at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich (Switzerland), by a representative of the player.
Through Twitter, Luís Figo shared: "I am delighted to announce my candidacy for the presidency of FIFA. Football has given me so much in my life and I want to give back".
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo has a career of over 20 years for several clubs in Portugal, Spain and Italy. Leaving the game in 2009, he holds a Golden Ball and the title delivered by the FIFA as Best World Player, in 2001. There is no doubt about his importance in portuguese and international football and his personal life also goes well.
He is an ambassador for UNICEF and married to the beautiful swedish model Helen Svedin - that is always proud of her husband's work.
As rivals candidates Figo will have David Ginola, former footballer too, Jérôme Champagne, who has directed FIFA, Michael van Praag, president of the federation of the Netherlands, Ali Bin Al-Hussein, second in command of the football confederation of Asia, and Joseph Blatter, the current FIFA President - and the face that has been associated with all that is considered going bad to worse in the entity.
