Lennart Johansson, who oversaw the introduction of the Champions Leagueduring a 17-year reign as president of European football’s governing body, has died. He was 89. The Swedish Football Association said the former Uefa president died on Tuesday after a short illness.
“Lennart Johansson was our biggest international football leader of all time, no Swedish has had a similar influence on football in the world,” the Swedish FA’s president, Karl-Erik Nilsson, said on Wednesday. “He was deeply respected as Uefa president and vice president of Fifa, his leadership has aroused admiration worldwide.”
The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, led the tributes to Johansson. “I am heartbroken by the news of the passing away of Lennart Johansson,” Infantino said, in a statement on the Fifa website. “He was a friend and an invaluable source of wisdom and inspiration. I will be forever grateful for having had him as the president of Uefa when I joined the organisation in 2000. Since then, Lennart has always been a role model of professionalism and, more importantly, of humanity.”
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said Johansson would be remembered as the architect of the Champions League.
“World football will be always be grateful to him for all he has achieved for the beautiful game,” Ceferin said in a statement.
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