Vienna--Football legend Michel Platini on Tuesday scored a hat-trick of victories for the presidency of UEFA 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 sat in 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.
The UEFA boss also sought to win over the heads of the Asian, North America, South American and Oceania confederations who likewise were at the European body's annual congress.
Without naming anyone, Platini said: "Certain people are perhaps trying to turn us against each other, seeking to divide and rule.
"They are trying to isolate the supposedly arrogant and selfish Europeans."
"Do not believe everything that you hear," said Platini.
"Yes, we know that we are in a privileged position. Yes, we know that we make mistakes and are not necessarily any better than anyone else.
"You should know that we are willing to work with you, hand in hand, for the good of world football, for the good of the 209 national associations worldwide, and for the good of FIFA."
Earlier, Blatter won only a polite applause from the UEFA audience when he made an appeal for the "unity and this solidarity which exists as the foundations of football."
The 79-year-old Blatter refused to address UEFA's Congress with his three rivals for the FIFA leadership -- Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, a FIFA vice president, Dutch federation chief Michael van Praag and former Portugal star Luis Figo.
He spoke to the UEFA meeting at the start of he day in his role as FIFA president.
"Together with Europe, we need to build this unity on the inside and on the outside of your respective organisations," Blatter said.
AFP
