Let's hear from... Joseph S. Blatter!

Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA since 1998, needs no introduction. He joined the International Federation in 1975, when there were just a few employees. Ever since, he has actively contributed to its incredible expansion, first as technical director, and then as General Secretary. As the head of an entity comprising nearly 400 colleagues, today he watches over the interests of FIFA and global football in an increasingly complex, fast-paced and ever changing world. By actively tackling the numerous challenges faced by football managers, Joseph. S. Blatter understood the necessity of introducing ad hoc training programmes, which he has concretely implemented by establishing CIES in 1995. Ever since, he has kept a watchful eye on FIFA's "academic arm", which generously embraces all kinds of sports.

Family life

At the moment it's just my daughter and her family who live in the town of Viège (Switzerland)…But don't worry about me being lonely, because FIFA is also a family… and what a big family it is!

Current professional activities

President (chief executive) of an institution with more than 300 million active participants… If we count their family members, there are more than one billion people directly or indirectly involved in the game of football.

What are your other strong points?

Economics, which I studied at Lausanne – I earned a degree in business administration (HEC) there  - and I continue to be passionate about it … Economics, like politics, is a part of football.

Sports activities

I enjoy dancing… Beyond the sporting and technical demands, it requires two people to be in sync with each other, to be in harmony… You see, even I can be a romantic… And football of course, I used to love to play all the time, but now just in therapeutic doses… Whether in a stadium or in front of my television, I still watch football matches with the same intensity. Whenever I find the time I enjoy watching FIFA's football teams (both male and female) … While I am an unwavering fan, fair-play is always of the essence…

Spare time activities

A good film… You can always count me in… And then there are the cerebral acrobatics of sudoku to keep my mind agile. I also like to unwind with crossword puzzles and computer games – solitaire or freecell… Just the thing to de-stress after a week of meetings, or to pass the time during some of those long intercontinental trips.

Favourite colour

Blue… Like the colour of my dad's work coveralls… my father was real example for me. The azure sky of Valais where I grew up… Mysterious deep blue eyes… Or the flagship colour of FIFA...

Favourite drink

I appreciate good wine… And not just at banquets or when dining in the finest restaurants…  I enjoy savouring a glass with my family, surrounded by my friends… Wine has that unique quality of encouraging conviviality, and even intensifying it…And I also drink lots of Coca Cola … light.

Your dream destination

I think I'm already there… And what a privilege, how many other people are lucky enough to make that claim?

Your hero and why?

Without the least bit of hesitation - my mother. Why? For everything really!

Favourite singer. Why?

I had a real feeling of friendship for Gilbert Bécaud… affectionately known as "Mister 100,000 volts" …I generally like songs with a message… And I must admit I am very fond of French chanson …

Best quality in people

Loyalty, an all too rare commodity…

And the worst...

Hypocrisy,  alas all too common.…

What is your best quality?

Without a doubt, tenacity… I am a man of long-term objectives and I stick to them… I don't let setbacks get me down… On the contrary, they motivate me all the more…

And your worst fault?

Impatience… But now that I am a bit older and wiser, I don't let it get the better of me… If I've learned one thing from my experiences it is that we need to "let time take its course"…

The footballer (footballers) of your dreams

The wonder of football never ceases to amaze me, even after all these years…. Let's say Di Stefano if we look back to the past…  And Messi, if we look at today's game… And undoubtedly for years to come…

Unforgettable football memory

The World Cup in <st1:country-region w:st="on" style="line-height: 1.4;">South Africa</st1:country-region>… There were so many doubters… But it turned out to be such a great success … At every level really…

A memory "outside football"

There are many… I have led a full life, you know…  But I have particularly fond memories of meeting Pope John Paul II during the "Italia 90" World Cup…

A quiet day at home…

Recharge my batteries, save up energy… so that I can continue contribute to FIFA and to the game of football I love so much.

How do you deal with your long and frequent plane trips?

In a way, flying lets you leave the turmoil of the world behind you. Anything but work…  I rest…. I take full advantage of those brief moments of "forced peace and quiet"…

As who (or what) would you like to be reincarnated? Why?

I don't believe in reincarnation. And besides, as the President of FIFA,  haven't I already led several lives, both in terms of intensity, meeting people, and experiencing emotions of every kind? So what would be the point of adding another life to these?

A motto to live by

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. I've never liked half measures, shoddy work…

What is your opinion of the FIFA/CIES International University Network?

To give football the academic laurels it deserves is truly fantastic. And to be able to do it in 14 countries around the world, even better!

For FIFA, and for sports in general, how important is it to train managers?

Over the past two decades, sport has played a pivotal role in economic, social, political and media terms. It is the number one entertainment industry. We now need to create a governance approach that is adapted to the prevailing circumstances, a truly dedicated professional governance.

What are the current weaknesses of football management?

It is precisely this lack of professionalism in supervision at the operational level, and in management at the football federation level.

What is the greatest challenge facing football today? And the human race?

There is no doubt in my mind that it is match fixing. All of football's other ills, whether violence, doping, racism, all have their origins in today's society. Football itself is really the victim here. But as far as match fixing is concerned, we are also victims of our own system. Let's face it, if football didn't exist or wasn't so successful, there simply wouldn't be any manipulation of this kind. In my opinion, match manipulation is the worst possible scourge, because if match results are influenced by anything other than the quality of the players on the pitch, the game will surely lose its power to fascinate millions.

And to the second question, my response is simple: the humanists are trying to find a solution, and the philosophers are still looking for one!

Where do you want FIFA to be 10 years from now?

Nothing will change on the pitch; perhaps there will be some developments with respect to managing certain operational aspects.

Do you have any advice for future sports managers?

In my role as the initiator of FIFA's academic programme, I can say just one thing: "Please take full advantage of the excellent courses and degree programmes offered by CIES and its partner universities: the FIFA Master degree, the FIFA/CIES Programme in Sport Management, and the Master in Sports Law! Excellence in education is such a key element in terms of achieving success in the sports world of tomorrow!"