João Havelange
Water polo player and FIFA president

Born
May 8th, 1916
109 years ago
Died
August 16th, 2016
8 years ago — 100 years old
Category
Leaders & Politicians
Country
Brazil
Links & References
Played water polo at a competitive level and later became a prominent figure in sports administration. Served as the president of FIFA from 1974 to 1998. Implemented significant reforms in FIFA, leading to the expansion of the World Cup and increased global recognition of football. Contributed to the commercialization of football, impacting its development and popularity worldwide.
Served as FIFA president for 24 years
Expanded the FIFA World Cup tournament format
Promoted the global growth of football
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