As the world woke up to yet another scandal centering on “rampant, systemic, deep-rooted” corruption within FIFA, Portuguese football legend Luís Figo has written the equivalent of “I told you so” on his Facebook page.
The record-breaking former winger who won 127 caps for Portugal’s national team during his 20-year career only recently pulled out of the presidential “race” within football’s governing body, saying the whole process was rigged.
He denounced Seth Blatter’s 17-year reign as a “dictatorship”.
Lambasting the man who has led FIFA no matter how many allegations of corruption have emerged – and is now under increasing pressure as two countries investigate new allegations of kick-backs, bribes, money-laundering and criminal mismanagement on a massive level – Figo said: “I will not go along with, nor give my consent to, a process which will end on May 29 and from which soccer will not emerge the winner.”
Thus, as the world’s front pages centre on FIFA’s latest disgrace – with Britain’s prime minister David Cameron calling for Blatter’s resignation ahead of tomorrow’s “election” for a new president – Figo has reminded all his follows why he withdrew his bid.
Calling yesterday (May 27) “one of the worst days in the history of FIFA”, he added: “Now there are many more people who will agree with me.”
It just remains to be seen whether Blatter really can dodge public opinion against all odds and “carry on regardless” with tomorrow’s presidential elections.
