(Named Honorary FIFA President on 8 June 1998) Dr João Havelange’s 24 years as FIFA President were a period of significant change which featured, most notably, the expansion of the FIFA World Cup from a 16-team tournament to one twice as large by the time the Brazilian left his post in 1998. An Olympic swimmer and water polo player in his younger days, Havelange’s greatest achievement as a football administrator was arguably to ensure increased involvement on the world stage for teams from Asia, Africa, CONCACAF and Oceania, who had had just three FIFA World Cup finalists between them in 1974. FIFA’s Zurich headquarters housed just 12 staff members when he took office yet that figure would increase almost tenfold as FIFA’s organisational responsibilities and commercial interests grew, not least with a wave of new tournaments introduced, notably the world championships at Under-17 and U20 level in the late 1980s and the FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup at the start of the 1990s.

Joseph S. Blatter, Switzerland

Born 1936

Joseph S. Blatter had already served FIFA for 23 years when he was elected President of world football’s governing body on 8 June 1998. A former keen amateur footballer, he joined FIFA as Director of Technical Programmes in 1975 where he helped lay the foundations for future under-age and women’s competitions. He worked closely under his predecessor, Dr João Havelange, serving as General Secretary for nine years from 1981 and subsequently CEO, and playing a key role in organizing five FIFA World Cups from Spain 1982 onwards. The Swiss was also the driving force behind FIFA’s ongoing partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, which started in 1994, and since his election he has extended the federation’s humanitarian remit by forming an alliance with UNICEF. Re-elected for a second term as President on 29 May 2002, Mr Blatter has expanded FIFA’s competition portfolio, developing the FIFA Club World Cup as well as introducing world championships for Beach Soccer and Futsal. The President was re-elected to serve a fourth term on 1 June 2011.

Source: www.fifa.com