By Ricardo Setyon
August 14 – Having spent Father’s Day with his family, Zico is now in Goa, India, relaxing in a top 5-star hotel but plotting a dual course – his Goa FC club’s assault on the Indian Super League, and his personal campaign for the FIFA presidency.
The ‘White Pele’, as he is affectionately known by many, wants to become the second Brazilian to hold the FIFA presidency, but knows that his challenge is a big one.
Without doubt the “poorest” and most humble of all the candidates talked about so far, Zico does not have the media, fame and football power at his disposal like the other declared or mooted contenders Michel Platini, Chung Mong-joon, Prince Ali, or even Maradona.
He initially ruled out running for the presidency due to the nomination system, saying: “If the system of being nominated by five National Associations continues, I will not accept it.” He has since reconsidered his position.
Always a fierce enemy of the managers who rule the Brazilian FA (CBF), Zico understood that his plans can only follow through if he changed his position and adapted to the real world conditions.
So change he did and Zico went personally to meet the President of CBF, Marco Polo del Nero who had ruled out any support for Zico, after the ex-player made comments about former president José Maria Marin’s imprisionment in Switzerland.
With Marin having now been in a Swiss jail for more than three months, the chess board looks completely different. Zico and Del Nero were seen in pictures, hugging each other, each working to achieve the best political result.
Zico understands the need for the support of five National Associations to get him into the presidential race proper, and he left the CBF ultra modern building in Rio de Janeiro, with a not so solid promise, but a positive result.
Del Nero, who himself is under lots of criticism, issued a powerful statement after the meeting. “We will support officially Zico in his race for the FIFA top job, if he can bring the support of four more other national associations,” he said.
Zico believes that finding four more associations is a very possible scenario.
But, as he puts it: ” I am not a man that will fly around the world with a private jet, to try and convince people to vote for me. And I will not hire companies to make my marketing or put me in the media. I believe in an honest and decent procedure, without fireworks.”
Zico believes he knows the identities of the four national associations who would support him and that would in turn kick in the CBF’s endorsement.
At the top of the list is Japan where Zico is an idol and where there are two statues of him – as a player for Kashima Antlers, and coach for the national team. Zico believes he has a good chance of winning the support of the JFA.
He also believes he will have support in Europe – in Turkey and Uzbekistan where he worked with much success and popularity.
And of course in India where he has presided over a remarkable development in Goan football.
His influence also stretches to Asia where Zico coached the Iraqi national team – a country of which he talks very warmly about in football terms. He has also worked in Russia and Qatar and says that while they may be lining up their support for other candidates, he knows.
And of course in south and central America as the latin American candidate standing against what many are talking about as a ‘Europeanisation’ of the control of global football.
Brazil’s Federal Government has even endorsed Zico – he was National Secretary of Sports, in the Brazilian Government in the early 1990’s, and also had a few months as the Chairman of Football at Flamengo, in Rio de Janeiro, a few years ago.
Zico may be an outsider in the current presidential race thinking but he is a candidate who is uniquely experienced on the old and new football world. As in his days on the pitch, he could be a player in this political game worth watching.
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