LISBON - The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) on Saturday gave public backing to Slovenia's Aleksander Ceferin to become the new UEFA president. Aleksander Ceferin, head of the Slovenian football federation, will go up against Dutchman Michael van Praag, in the UEFA election on September 14After the withdrawal of Spaniard Angel Maria Villar, Ceferin, a 48-year-old lawyer and head of the Slovenian football federation since 2011, will go up against Dutchman Michael van Praag, in the UEFA election on September 14 in Athens. Ceferin already has the support of the French Football Federation while van Praag, the 68-year-old Dutch football chief, has English and Belgian backing with each of UEFA's 55 federations having a vote. "I know Michael van Praag for quite some time and I have a lot of respect for him and his ideas but we will vote for Aleksander Ceferin," FPF president Fernando Gomes told AFP in a statement. UEFA are seeking a new president after former France midfielder Platini quit in May after failing to overturn his ban from all football activities.

Source: Bangkok Post September 10, 2016 13:18 UTC