Arsenal Manager, Arsène Wenger,has recommended integrity as a major quality that the next FIFA President must possess in order to move the game of football forward.
With the sport’s governing body holding elections in February after Sepp Blatter announced he would stand down after 17 years in charge, Wenger says the new FIFA President must also have a vision to “put football into the 21st century”.
After a series of scandals, Wenger hopes that the new president can both reform FIFA and expand the game in new territories.
“First I think it needs to be somebody who loves football,” he told the Arsenal Magazine. “Somebody who has integrity, somebody who wants to develop the game and wants to put football into the 21st century.
“Let’s not forget that football is 150 years old and is the most popular sport in the world. There’s more to come from our game.
“It looks like China, Asia, the United States are opening up to football. I believe that the first thing that all these regions will want is integrity.
“The game is beautiful, the game is fantastic. Everybody loves the game. Let’s make sure that the organisation has integrity and a clean reputation.”
