Football: I am the only one who can beat Blatter, says Platini

Uefa president Michel Platini speaks during a press conference on the eve of the qualifying draw of the 2016 European Football Championship on February 22, 2014 in Nice, southeatern France. Uefa president Michel Platini told Reuters on Thursday,
Uefa president Michel Platini speaks during a press conference on the eve of the qualifying draw of the 2016 European Football Championship on February 22, 2014 in Nice, southeatern France. Uefa president Michel Platini told Reuters on Thursday, March 27, 2014 he was the only person capable of beating Sepp Blatter in an election battle for the Fifa presidency. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP

ASTANA (REUTERS) - Uefa president Michel Platini told Reuters on Thursday he was the only person capable of beating Sepp Blatter in an election battle for the Fifa presidency.

The 58-year-old emphasised that he is yet to decide whether or not to stand for world football's top job next year, but told Reuters in a briefing following the completion of the Uefa Congress in Kazakhstan, "There is only one person who can beat Blatter."

Asked who that was he said: "Me."

Platini has been president of European football's governing body since 2007.

Asked if he had enough support outside of Europe, he replied: "Yes I have many people who support me around the world.

"But I have not decided yet to run, I am happy being Uefa president, and I still have to decide about Fifa. I will consult many people but it will be my personal decision in the end."

Blatter, who has been Fifa president since 1998, has dropped increasingly strong hints that he will stand for re-election for a fifth term, but will not announce his intentions until Fifa's annual congress in Sao Paulo just before the start of the World Cup.

So far only Jerome Champagne, a former Blatter aide at Fifa, has announced his candidacy.

But Champagne also said when launching his bid that he did not think he could beat Blatter if the 78-year-old decided to run.

"I have a different opinion," Platini said.

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