Portuguese legend Luis Figo is the latest shock candidate for the FIFA presidency after he expressed his intention to challenge Sepp Blatter for global football’s top job. 

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The former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan star outlined his wish to clean up the organisation and joins the likes of Prince Ali of Jordan, Michael van Praag and Jerome Champagne in taking on incumbent Blatter. Former Tottenham and PSG winger David Ginola also recently launched a bid for the presidency. 

Blatter intends to run for a fifth term but Figo could be the most credible threat to him after such an illustrious career in football. He represented Portugal 127 times, played in three European Championships and was voted FIFA World Player of the Year twice.

“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,” he told CNN in an exclusive interview in Madrid.

“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.

“Change in leadership, governance, transparency and solidarity, so I think it’s the moment for that.”

Five nominations from FIFA member associations are required in order for candidature to be confirmed for the May election and Figo has reportedly secured his backing already.

He currently works for Inter Milan and the Portuguese national team so also satisfies FIFA’s rule that states all candidates must have played an active role in football for two of the last five years. 

Figo knows that he may not be the favourite to win the election but from his experience in sport, he realises that anything can happen.

“Of course (Blatter) is a person that is running the organisation for so long, since 1998, and a lot of people can be the favourite but it is a fantastic challenge to try and convince the people to follow me and support me,” said the 42-year-old.

“I have so many examples in football; you can play against the strongest team or you can play against the weakest team and you never know who will win.”