Aleksander Čeferin recognised as one of Europe’s most influential leaders in 2021

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin’s frontline role in defeating the so-called European Super League and opposing a biennial World Cup was formally recognised on Wednesday when he was included on Politico’s prestigious annual list of the most influential people in Europe.

The respected non-partisan news service, which reports on European political and policy issues, listed Mr Čeferin among Europe’s 28 most prominent "doers, dreamers and disrupters" for 2021– alongside some of Europe’s most recognisable political and business figures including European Union president Ursula von der Leyen and new German chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

In its profile of Mr Čeferin, the Politico website writes: "As president of UEFA — the governing body for European football — Aleksander Čeferin is at the centre of a battle over the future of the world’s most popular pastime.

"Having faced down some of the biggest clubs in Europe over what he called a 'disgraceful, self-serving' plan to create an exclusive and anti-competitive Super League, the 54-year-old is now taking on FIFA, pushing back against the global football body’s proposal to hold the World Cup every two years."

In September, Mr Čeferin received a Best Executive in the World Football Summit (WFS) Award, for his swift and decisive tackling of the ill-fated European Super League proposal, as well as his skilful guidance of European football’s governing body through UEFA EURO 2020, which had been postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.