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.
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.
Jose Mourinho showers praise on Jurgen Klopp, says liverpool
Last-gasp Mitrovic earns Fulham 1-0 win over Huddersfield. Dec 29 - FULHAM 1 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0. Read more: The Star. Benitez says Newcastle needs 'another miracle' to stay up Newcastle is currently five points above the bottom three after last weekend's goalless draw with Fulham.
Late Aleksandar Mitrovic strike earns Fulham win over
Football: Jurgen Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic comeback, says Jose Mourinho. Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates winning the UEFA Champions league semi-final football
Jurgen Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic comeback
May 05, 2019 · Chelsea secures top-4 spot after beating Watford 3-0 in EPL. Chelsea secured a top-four spot in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Watford on Sunday after two goals in a three-minute span
Chelsea respond to half-time boos with win over Watford to
Real captain Sergio Ramos put it This is what makes Real Madrid so great, and still, even without Ronaldo and in the midst of a bad season, so formidable in their favorite competition
Ramos: Winning is Real's only objective with or without Ronaldo
Maurizio Sarri condemns the alleged racist abuse of Raheem Sterling by Chelsea supporters but wants the club's main focus to be on Thursday's clash with Vidi. The Blues visit Budapest this week
Sarri condemns abuse of Sterling as 'disgusting', Football
Check out our range of Claw Hammers products at your local Bunnings Warehouse. Visit us today for the widest range of Hammers & Wreckers products.
Hammer Punch Set Sold Direct - eBay | Fantastic prices on Hammer Punch Set
AD
Gordon Banks earned just £100-a-week, lost his eye in a car crash and was forced to sell his 1966 World Cup medal. But he was a true inspirational hero with the REAL hands of God
* Cardiff City beat Southampton 2-1 after a thrilling finish. toggle menu Football
Soccer-Zohore gives Cardiff 2-1 win over Southampton in
If anyone says that Singaporeans don't have a passion for football, they probably forgot to swing by Our Tampines Hub to catch the live screening of the Champions League final between Liverpool
Liverpool in the Champions League final - don't miss out on
Madrid plans 'robust' security for all-English Champions
Defender Jan Vertonghen (L) celebrates with teammate Son Heung-Min (R) after scoring their second goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Tottenham
Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group E - Canada v Cameroon - Stade de La Mosson, Montpellier, France - June 10, 2019 Canada's Kadeisha Buchanan scores their first goal REUTERS/Eric Gaillard MONTPELLIER, France (Reuters) - Defender Kadeisha Buchanan scored on the stroke of halftime to hand Canada a winning start to the women's […]
Buchanan goal hands Canada slender 1-0 win over Cameroon
Hougang United Football Club, one of nine clubs in the professional football league, had filed a police report against an employee after losing S$278,200 from its coffers. A female administrative staff member, Tean Tai Tee, had allegedly misappropriated the sales revenue from the clubhouse between Nov 29 and Dec 11 last year.
Top stories from The Straits Times on Monday, Feb 25
watch iceland soccer live stream
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch live stream soccer games online free
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch soccer online free streaming live reddit
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch champions league final live streaming
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch coppa america live streaming eng
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch live soccer streaming on iphone
watch premier league live streaming quality
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
free watch soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming bt sport
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch soccer am online live streaming
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch soccer world cup live streaming
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch champions league live stream uk
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch usa soccer live stream
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch soccer online free streaming live espn
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch premier league live streaming online
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
free watch champions league live streaming
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch live streaming soccer world cup
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch hd soccer live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming bola
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch soccer online free live streaming livetv ru
watch coppa america live streaming free online
watch soccer game live now
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming gratis
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
watch champions league live stream gratis
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch premier league games live stream
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming world
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch premier league live stream reddit
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch barclays premier league online live streaming
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube
apps to watch live streaming soccer
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
watch champions league live streaming live
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming live free
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch live streaming soccer games
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
watch champions league draw live stream total sportek
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch premier league live streaming juventus
watch premier league live stream hd
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
how to watch champions league live streaming
watch soccer am live stream
watch premier league live streaming free
#watchlive #golf #portsmouthfc #thebeatles #liverpool #elcasico #goal #vip #gym #realmadrid #sunderlandafc #barcelona #PartyTime #adidasslipon #firmino #footballfans #midnight #footballmeme #Liverpool #calciatoribrutti #meunier #GarageCafeDxb #BMW #juventus #footballmemes #ronaldo #champion #livestreams #kopisusu #lfc #kickoff #acmilan #roadtrip #MSport #cristianoronaldo #oasisandbeatles #realmadridcf #Liamgallagher #frasirap #trollfootball #conference #oasisofficial #tokyo #jadwalbolahariini #hoffenhiem #salah #alissonbecker #golazo #paulmcartney #neymar #nationsleague #mancityvsliverpool #risate #soccer #romania #fut #nutmeg #goodday #bayervshoffenheim #Fcb #bayernmunich #lovefootball #valcea #leicestercity #cr7 #football #manchestercity #crossfit
0 comments:
Post a Comment