Brazil legend Zico announced last night that he has pulled out of the race for FIFA Presidency after failing to secure votes from the minimum 5 Football Associations to legitimise his candidacy. With the world governing body consumed by crises, Sepp Blatter will eventually be forced to step down after 17 years as FIFA President. Elections will run next year and Flamengo and Seleção legend Zico had planned to run for office.
Zico told Globo Radio that he would not be able to run, however, “Unfortunately we weren’t able to get the five letters of support that we needed. But I’m happy to have been able to participate in this campaign and hope that those that take on the responsibility can do it with love and passion, not thinking about putting money in their own pockets.”
Swiss-born UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino, Jordan’s prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, France’s Jerome Champagne; Trinidad and Tobago’s David Nakhid, South Africa’s Tokyo Sexwale; Liberian Musa Bility, Asian confederation president Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain and suspended UEFA President Michel Platini are all reported to have secured enough votes to run. The elections will take place on 26th February, 2016.
Back in June, Zico had announced his candidacy, insisting that it was his “duty” to run and clean up operations at FIFA, “It’s sad for our sport to see what is happening in football today – the corruption … and the hard work of many other good people wasted. I see it as my duty to use my experience and knowledge to try and stand for the presidency.”
Zico appeared in three World Cups for Brazil, won 12 titles with Flamengo and has enjoyed coaching spells in Japan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Russia, Greece, Iraq, Qatar and India.
