STOCKHOLM (REUTERS) - Lennart Johansson, a Swede who presided over European football for 17 years as its new Champions League turned into a global commercial juggernaut, has died after a short illness aged 89, Sweden's football association said on Wednesday (June 5).
The president of European football governing body Uefa from 1990 to 2007 was a driving force behind the formation of the Champions League, giving the continent's top club competition a new identity, a catchy anthem and worldwide reach.
Later the same day, former Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino was re-elected Fifa president unopposed at the congress of world football's governing body in Paris, as he claimed to have turned the organisation from being "toxic and almost criminal" back to its core values.
His re-election was marked by a round of applause from the congress after the statutes were changed earlier in the day to no longer require a vote if there was only one candidate for the position.
The 49-year-old Swiss-Italian lawyer now has a four-year mandate to try and accomplish his grandiose plans for football which were partly frustrated in his first term.
He has been in charge of Fifa since February 2016, after succeeding Sepp Blatter in the wake of a damaging corruption scandal that Infantino claimed the body had now shaken off.
Johansson's reign at Uefa had seen huge revenue streams flow into the continent's big clubs, turning Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and others into multi-billion dollar enterprises, and their players into global megastars.
"World football will be always be grateful to him for all he has achieved for the beautiful game," Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.
The Swedish FA said Swedish football was in mourning.
Johansson took over the top job in European football at a turbulent time when money from television coverage was flooding into the sport and players gained complete freedom to move between countries and clubs in Europe.
"It was not a given that Uefa would be successful in meeting all these dramatic changes," the Swedish FA said.
"The Champions League became an enormous success, but Lennart Johansson's other major achievement was finding a fragile balance between the big clubs' demands and the needs of the broader football family."
Johansson ran against Blatter to head football's world governing body Fifa in an acrimonious vote in 1998 but lost. The Swiss, who led Fifa for 17 years, is now serving a six-year ban from football for unethical conduct.
The men remained rivals. The Swedish FA quoted Johansson as saying: "It is my 20-year fight with Blatter that people like."
Blatter's successor, Infantino, who worked earlier in his career under Johansson at Uefa, called the Swede "a friend and an invaluable source of wisdom and inspiration".
"Lennart has always been a role model of professionalism and, more importantly, of humanity," he said.
In 2007, Johansson stepped down as Uefa president after being beaten in an election by former France international Michel Platini. Johansson was given the title honorary president, a role which he took seriously, even attending meetings in his wheelchair.
Johansson was a lifelong supporter and honorary president of Stockholm club AIK.
In Paris, Infantino said Fifa's previously precarious financial situation was now looking rosy with the organisation's budget increased from US$5 billion to US$6.4 billion (S$8.73 billion) and reserves up from US$1 billion to US$2.75 billion.
This was despite increased spending on development projects in Fifa's 211 member associations. Fifa spent US$1.1 billion in the period 2015-18 and will increase the sum to US$1.75 billion from 2019-2022, he added.
Salah retains African award to seal great day for Egypt Your Name * Recipient Email * 0. DAKAR: Liverpool and Egypt's Mohamed Salah (C) poses with Confederation of African Football president
Salah retains African award to seal great day for Egypt
Boss Alan Curbishley demands a strong finish from West Ham. Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen in secret friendly before Liverpool's Champions League final victory over Tottenham
Erik Lamela demands strong finish from Spurs to secure
Liverpool FC live transfer news, team news, fixtures, gossip and more. Get all of the latest Reds breaking transfer news, fixtures, LFC squad news and more every day from the Liverpool ECHO
Liverpool FC - Homepage
Jose Mourinho says the belief Jurgen Klopp has instilled in his Liverpool squad was behind the stunning win over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals. Klopp mentality behind Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic comeback
Wasteful Barca held to goalless draw at defiant Lyon LYON, France (Reuters) - Barcelona were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Olympique Lyonnais in their Champions League last-16 first leg on
Wasteful Barca held to goalless draw at defiant Olympique
Vincent Subramaniam (born 28 January 1955) is a Singaporean football coach. Educated at Victoria School, Vincent was most recently in charge of Young Lions. He was the national coach of the Singapore national football team from 1998 to 2001.
Lions line up 2 friendlies, to get new coach Yoshida soon
Objectives Raheem Sterling has scored in his final three video games for England. He had not managed a single aim in his earlier 27 appearances. "Raheem was brilliant, electric all night," Southgate mentioned. "He is in a very assured second, not solely on the sphere however off the sphere he is so mature and cozy in himself.
'Electric' Sterling has boss purring - theworldnews.net
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk opens up on facing Lionel Messi in UCL semi final . 'Cannot Stop Messi Alone,' Admits Van Dijk. PTI Updated: 19.04.19. Football 2 min read.
I cannot stop Messi alone, admits Virgil Van Dijk- The New
Ex-Man Utd hero Phil Neville wants his players to show plenty of Neville wants his Lionesses to hit the ground running against the French. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent
England must keep being ruthless - Phil Neville - YouTube
Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Liverpool - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - January 12, 2019 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in action with Brighton'
Liverpool extend lead at top, Arsenal slip up at West Ham
Football: Ferland Mendy set for Real move, says France coach Deschamps Spanish media reports said Real Madrid had agreed a fee of 55 million euros (S$85 million) for Olympique Lyonnais left-back
Ferland Mendy set for Real move, says France coach Deschamps
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp denied on Friday that his Premier League leaders will have the upper hand over Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the title race despite a lighter schedule
Football: Klopp denies Liverpool's lighter schedule is title
sportstons.com/soccer/football-klopp-denies-liverpools-lighter-schedule-is-title-advantage/
Football: Klopp denies Liverpool's lighter schedule is title advantage LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp denied on Friday (Jan 11) that his Premier League leaders will have the upper hand over Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the title race despite a lighter schedule after crashing out of both domestic cup competitions.
Jurgen Klopp denies Liverpool's lighter schedule is title
Football: Salah, Origi strike to give Liverpool Champions League triumph. It was Liverpool's first Champions League triumph since their incredible comeback against Milan in 2005 and, while
Salah, Origi strike to give Liverpool Champions League triumph
0 comments:
Post a Comment