FOOTBALL; Luis Figo to challenge Sepp Blatter for FIFA Presidency

Dutchman Michael van Praag has announced he will stand against Sepp Blatter in the FIFA presidential election.

Luis Figo has announced that he intends to challenge Sepp Blatter in the FIFA presidential elections.

Former Portugal star Figo is one of a number of candidates to have recently declared their interest in the role, which will be decided by a vote of the 209 Member FAs at the FIFA Congress on May 29. Figo told CNN: "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."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."

Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term, remains the firm favourite for the role but now faces competition from former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne, Jordanian FA president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, Dutch FA chairman Michael van Praag, former France international David Ginola and Figo.

Former Chile FA chief Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who had previously worked as a FIFA official, has also said he could enter the running. Figo, 42, played at clubs including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan during his career and won the Ballon d'Or in 2000 as well as the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2001.