The 42-year-old, a man of formidable football pedigree, confirmed to CNN in an exclusive interview on Wednesday he wants to replace Sepp Blatter as president of world soccer’s governing body.
After growing weary at FIFA’s increasingly tarnished reputation, he’s asked supporters the world over to follow his crusade to rehabilitate an organization he says has become a byword for scandal.
The tipping point came towards the end of 2014, when FIFA opted not to publish a report by U.S. lawyer Michael Garcia into allegations of corruption during the race to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, releasing its own summary of his findings instead.
“I think that was the moment of change and the moment I thought something had to be done,” Figo told CNN anchor Alex Thomas.
“If you are transparent and if you ask for an investigation, a report, which you have nothing to hide, why don’t you make public that report? If you have nothing to hide about that, you have to do it.”
Having decided to run, and with a trophy-laden career to bolster his credibility, Figo now must convince the majority of FIFA’s 209 member associations that he means business.
The former Portugal captain has made transparency a key plank of his pitch for soccer’s top job, underlining that a change in leadership and governance was the only way to revitalize FIFA’s reputation.
He also vowed to release more of FIFA’s vast financial reserves to its federations in the hope of boosting the sport at grass roots level.
And he gave short shrift to any suggestion that his candidacy was a publicity stunt, an accusation leveled at former France international David Ginola who recently launched his bid alongside a bookmaker and confirmed he was being paid for his involvement.
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But his charge was immediately undermined by the revelation that his bid was being backed by bookmaker Paddy Power, who has a self-confessed penchant for mischief, and that he was being paid £250,000 ($375,000) for his involvement.
Ginola’s prospective bid is reliant on crowdfunding to help him through to May’s elections but so far it has only raised £6,300 ($9,500). Doubts also remain as to whether he’ll be able to find five associations to support him.
Van Praag, who has been head of Dutch football since 2008, entered the fray earlier this week, vowing to “normalize and modernize” FIFA.
The 66-year-old was critical of Blatter when the Swiss backtracked on his decision to stand down after his current term as president ended, and is confident he has already secured five nominations.
As part of his candidature, Van Praag is reportedly ready to offer Blatter an advisory role if the Dutchman is elected FIFA president.
The deadline for applications is Thursday but it might be next week before FIFA announces who has made their way onto the ballot paper for the election, held in Zurich on May 29.
Read: Figo to run for FIFA president
Read: Van Praag to stand
