UEFA Chief of Football Boban quits over row with Ceferin

UEFA football chief Zvonimir Boban has announced he is quitting European football's governing body in protest at its president Aleksandar Ceferin's decision to back changes to the statutes that would allow him to extend his mandate.

Boban, a former AC Milan midfielder and Croatia captain, announced his decision in an open letter published by Croatian website Telesport.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)

“I am sorry and sad, but I am leaving UEFA,” Boban said in the letter.

Boban added that the reason for his departure was Ceferin's support for a proposal to change UEFA rules at its next congress on February 8 in Paris, which would allow him to run again at the end of his term. four years in 2027.

UEFA rules prohibit the president and members of the Executive Committee from standing for election more than three times or remaining in their position for more than 12 years.

“Paradoxically, it was Ceferin who proposed and launched in 2017 the reform package supposed to protect UEFA and European football,” Boban said.

“His departure from these values ​​and his changes in the main reforms are difficult to understand, especially in this delicate period of football.

“If I were to accept such a difficult and wrong decision and turn my head, I would be going against the general principles and values ​​in which I deeply believe.

“I am not playing the role of a hero and I know very well that many people have the same opinion, perhaps naive, but certainly correct.”

Ceferin was re-elected as UEFA president without opposition at the governing body's ordinary congress in Lisbon in April last year.