KNVB supports UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin

Aleksander Ceferin is running for re-election as UEFA president - Foto: KNVB Media

The Royal Netherlands Football Association will back Aleksander Ceferin, who has presided over UEFA for two years, to serve a new term as the head of European football’s governing body.

Along with Ceferin’s home country Slovenia, the federations who have announced their support are Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Potential rival candidates have until 7 November to apply.

“We will wholeheartedly support Aleksander and he knows that we will'', says KNVB President Michael van Praag.

That support will take concrete form at the presidential election, scheduled during UEFA’s annual plenary session in Rome on 7 February 2019. Van Praag: "The president is doing very well, as we have experienced, and so it goes without saying that we will back his bid for re-election."

His policy appeals to us

He pursues the kind of policy that we would have implemented in his position.

The KNVB’s backing of Ceferin was first announced by its Secretary-General, Gijs de Jong. "His ambition comes as no surprise to us," De Jong said. "Aleksander's policy appeals to us; he pursues the kind of policy that we would have implemented in his position. When he and Michael van Praag were rivals in previous elections, they developed mutual respect and understanding for each other."

"Meanwhile, Aleksander has made a name for himself as a modern manager and as a champion of competitive balance. He promotes fair football, fair relations, opportunities for smaller countries. The introduction of the Nations League and the fact that the Super Cup was played in a small country like Estonia exemplify his policy view. The KNVB really feels represented by him," says De Jong.'