After Michel Platini's bid to run for FIFA's presidency was cancelled due to a 90-day ban, UEFA's associations wanted a man t to represent their interests in the upcoming race to become FIFA's ruler. Given that their hopes were set on Platini, and the Frenchman was denied the right to contend for the job, the organisation's General Secretary, Gianni Infantino, will be UEFA's candidate to succeed Sepp Blatter as football's main man.
Infantino, well known by fans all over the world, was most notably involved in every draw for UEFA's top competitions since 2009, including Euro Qualifiers and club competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup/Europa League.
Infantino, during this season's UEFA Champions League draw.
The 45-year-old exec issued a press release earlier today, stating his intentions of becoming the new President of football's governing body in February 2016.
"Throughout my time in football I have always worked hard to serve the best interests of our great game and to support the principles of good governance and genuine integrity. I am very proud of what we have achieved at UEFA and the way in which we conduct ourselves as an organisation. The values at the heart of UEFA are shared by many in the global football family," Infantino's statement reads.
"I will in due course be setting out my detailed thinking in a manifesto which will address the challenges and opportunities ahead. It will be based on the need for reform and also for a FIFA that genuinely serves the interests of all 209 national associations, big or small, and that puts football and football development at the top of its agenda," he added.
If elected, Infantino will be the ninth president since the creation of FIFA in 1904. Seven of those presidents have come from Europe, with the only exception of Brazilian Joao Havelange, who's term started in 1974 and ended in 1998.
