Platini set to run for FIFA (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Pedro Pinto, UEFA’s chief of press, said following discussions in Zurich: “He (Platini) has received many, many kind words of support regarding his position as a leader in world football and what that could bring to FIFA in the future”.

European football chief Michel Platini is ready to stand for FIFA’s presidency, a UEFA official has told CNN.

Sky Sports News headquarters understands that Michel Platini is thought to be close to entering the running to succeed Sepp Blatter as President.

Blatter announced on June 2 he was standing down, just four days after winning a fifth term with an election victory at a congress overshadowed by the arrest of seven soccer officials.

Despite investigations of corruption in the bidding to host the 2018 World Cup, Sepp Blatter assures Russian president Vladimir Putin that the country will have FIFA’s full support leading up to the tournament.

Platini came in for heavy criticism last year when he was voluble in demanding that Blatter should step down but would not stand himself.

Former Brazilian global Zico and ex-France winger David Ginola are other outsiders who have also said they will contest for Federation Internationale de Football Association presidency.

Platini was elected Uefa president for a third term in March, when he stood unopposed.

Instead, Platini endorsed Blatter’s sole opponent Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who dropped out after losing the first round of voting. His signature “Financial Fair Play” policy designed to curb clubs overspending has seemed only to cement the elite in place.

Each of FIFA’s 209 member associations holds one vote in the election.

Despite a number of popular candidates, Platini is the favourite to replace him.

“In 12 years, everybody will be happy to have a very well-organized World Cup and not remember what’s happened before”, he told reporters in January 2011.

As the leading goalscorer for Juventus, the Italian club won two league titles and two European Cups, while France won the 1984 European Championship under his captaincy.