MADRID: The former players association of Real Madrid has registered its own support for the campaign of Luis Figo to become FIFA president writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

The world and European champions boast a unique link with the world football federation since their own Carlos Padres represented Spanish football – the only club representative – at the founding meeting of FIFA in 1904.

Figo played for Madrid between 2000 and 2005, scoring 38 goals in 164 Spanish league games after a highly controversial transfer from Barcelona. With Madrid he won the Club World Cup, Champions League and European Supercup as well as two domestic league titles and two supercups.

He is one of three challengers – along with FIFA’s Asian vice-president Prince Ali of Jordan and Dutch federation president Michael Van Praag – to Sepp Blatter who wants a fifth term in office in Zurich.

Ignacio Zoco, former Real Madrid and Spain lefthalf, is now president of  La Asociación de Ex-jugadores del Real Madrid.

He has written a formal endorsement to Figo offering “todo nuestro apoyo” [all our support] in the campaign.

The election takes place at FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29.

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