Luis Figo: 'Sepp Blatter doesn't have support from all of Africa'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 08 April 2015

FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo hits back at claims that Sepp Blatter has support from the whole of Africa in his bid for re-election.

FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo has claimed that Sepp Blatter does not have support from the whole of Africa in his bid for re-election.

Confederation of Africa Football president Issa Hayatou had previously said at his body's congress in Cairo that all its members would vote for Blatter on May 29.

Figo, however, told BBC Sport: "I'm positive that Mr Hayatou did not speak in the name of the 54 members of the confederation.

"Even when he announced he would support Blatter, we could notice a difference from past congresses when a statement like that normally is followed by a standing ovation.

"This time we heard just a normal applause, which confirms my idea that a lot of African countries understand and agree with the need to change for the better of everyone, especially the national associations. In fact there were federation presidents who assured me they would vote for me but they were reluctant to say this out loud because they feared reactions against them, their federations and even their countries."

Figo is one of three challengers to Blatter, alongside FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Dutch Football Association chairman Michael van Praag.