Aleksander Ceferin has been named as the successor of Michel Platini at UEFA, the European football governing body said on Wednesday.
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In his acceptance speech Ceferin said: “It’s a great honour but, at the same time, great responsibility”.
After the Scandinavian call, Ceferin could not turn back and says he has even paid for nearly one hundred flights to lobby for support with national associations. “My small and lovely Slovenia is very proud about it and I hope that, one day, you will also be proud of me”.
“If you want to ask me if he supported me, I hope so”, Čeferin said, “But I don’t know anything about it”.
Representatives of the European Football Professional Leagues’ board criticised UEFA’s decision to alter the competition regulations for the Champions League, which included guaranteeing four group-stage places to the top-ranked leagues – now the Bundesliga, LaLiga, the Premier League and Serie A.
Aleksander Ceferin has been elected to succeed banned Michel Platini as president of Uefa.
The 48-year-old succeeds former France worldwide Michel Platini, who resigned after being banned from all football activity last year.
His replacement was to be elected immediately afterwards with Slovenia’s Aleksander Ceferin and Dutchman Michael van Praag as the two candidates. “It is what I promise to all of you today”.
Earlier, Platini who was granted special permission by Federation Internationale de Football Association to address the Congress insisted that he had done nothing wrong.
“Losing is not nice, but I have to thank everyone for the open and clear campaign”, he said.
Although the English FA threw its voting hat behind Van Praag, Greg Clarke does not believe it will have an adverse effect on the relationship between the new head of European football and England’s governing body. “I have a clear conscience, I have not made mistakes and will continue my fight in court”.
Van Praag had called for a new look at the extra places offered to the major football nations.
“Whether I want it or not, I have to deal with it”.
“Dear friends, thank you for your fantastic support”, Ceferin said in a speech to the congress.
“I was the first to bring to the same table the national associations of the former state (Yugoslavia), that we adopted a common positions and presented them to UEFA and by doing so improved our reputation within Uefa”, he told state television in a recent interview.
“I believe that he has all the attributes to bring and create the flawless balance to bring UEFA forward”.
“Together we have done so much to keep that flame alive”.
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“ECA wishes him all the best for his upcoming challenges in representing the interests of European football at the highest level”.
