VIENNA (AFP) - Football legend Michel Platini on Tuesday scored a hat-trick of victories for the presidency of Uefa, European football's governing body, and made an immediate attack on Sepp Blatter's leadership of world body Fifa.

The 59-year-old Frenchman secured unopposed a third four-year term running one of the world's richest sports federations.

But within minutes of taking the applause of the 54 member federations, and with Blatter among the audience, Platini launched new criticism of Fifa's scandal-plagued leadership.

Fifa is to hold a presidential election on May 29. Blatter is favourite to win but for the first time faces three rivals for his post.

Europe, infuriated by controversy surrounding the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, is leading the campaign against the Swiss official.

"We do love Fifa dearly. Europe's entire football community loves Fifa dearly. It is precisely because we love and respect it that we want it to be perfect," Platini said.