RPT-FACTBOX-Soccer-Luis Figo, FIFA presidential candidate

May 21, 2015 6:46 AM

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LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - Factbox on former Portugal international footballer Luis Figo, one of three men challenging Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency at this month's election:

* Born November 4, 1972 in Lisbon.

* Figo was raised in Cova da Piedade, a working-class district of Lisbon on the south bank of the Tagus river. He began playing football on a five-a-side pitch behind the house where he grew up.

* He showed his potential when playing for local side Os Pastilhos and Figo's father took him for a trail at Benfica but he was reportedly turned down for being "too small". However, he was later taken on by rivals Sporting Lisbon.

* Figo made his Sporting debut at the age of 17 against Maritimo in April 1990 and scored his first goal the following December against Torreense. In the same year he was in the Portugal team which won the under-20 World Cup.

* Figo is Portugal's most capped player with 127 appearances, although he is set to be caught by Cristiano Ronaldo who has made 119. He made his debut against Luxemburg in 1991 and his last appearance in the World Cup third-place match against Germany in 2006. He scored 32 goals for his country.

* Figo was part of Portugal's so-called golden generation. He played in three European Championship finals and two World Cups, helping his side reach the Euro quarter-final (1996), Euro semi-final (2000) and Euro final (2004) and the World Cup semi-final (2006).

* He was voted FIFA's World Player of the Year in 2001, having been runner-up the year before. He was elected Portugal's Footballer of the Year six times in a row from 1995 to 2001 and France Football's European footballer of the year in 2000.

* A quick, dribbling specialist, he was one of the top players of his generation. He spent six seasons at Sporting, followed by five at Barcelona, five at Real Madrid, and four at Inter Milan. He retired at the end of the 2008-09 season at the age of 36.

* Figo won the Champions League and Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid (2002) and the European Cup winners' Cup with Barcelona (1997). He won four Spanish league titles, two each with Barca and Real, and four Serie A titles with Inter Milan.

* Barcelona fans never forgave Figo after he moved to Real Madrid in 2002. On his first return to the Nou Camp, he was jeered and insulted incessantly and he did not take any corners to avoid getting too close the fans. Subsequent visits were not much better and, in 2002, a pig's head was among the objects which landed on the pitch.

* Since retiring Figo has worked as an ambassador for Inter Milan. In January, he surprisingly announced his decision to stand for FIFA president. "I look at the reputation of Fifa right now and I don't like it. Football deserves better," he said.

* His FIFA election manifesto:

In his manifesto "For Football" he says: "There is far too much at stake to sit on the sidelines and refuse to act."

He has proposed expanding the World Cup to 40 or even 48 teams and proposes that $1.0 billion of FIFA's reserves of $1.5 billion should be re-distributed to member associations."

* William Hill odds to win election: 12-1

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by Douglas Beattie)