Fifa presidency: Real Madrid great Luis Figo confirms plans to challenge Sepp Blatter

Luis Figo has announced his decision to challenge Sepp Blatter in the upcoming Fifa presidential elections.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid great joins Jerome Champagne, David Ginola, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Michael van Praag on the list of candidates looking to end Blatter's 16-year reign as the head of world football's governing body.

"Football has given me so much during my life and I want to give something back to the game," Figo said. "I look at the reputation of Fifa right now and I don't like it. Football deserves better.

"In recent weeks, months, and even years, I have seen the image of Fifa deteriorate and as I speak to many people in football - to players, managers and association presidents - so many of those people have told me that something has to be done."

All potential candidates for May's elections must officially declare their bids by 29 January and will need the backing of at least five of the 209 Fifa member associations. They must also have played an active role in association football for two of the five years preceding their bid.

Figo, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2000 and retired from professional football in 2009, explained his decision to stand for presidency saying he was influenced by Fifa's decision not to make Michael Garcia's infamous report in the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup open to the public.

Speaking to CNN, he said: "After that report was not published, I think that was the moment of change and the moment I thought that something had to be done.

"If you are transparent and if you ask for an investigation, a report, which you have nothing to hide, why don't you make public that report? If you have nothing to hide about that, you have to do it.

"[Publishing the report] is the easy thing to do if all the people [are] doubting what happened. If it came from Fifa to order that report and after that you don't publish, it is not a good decision."