UEFA is planning to establish a new ‘football parliament’ to provide an independent voice on all matters related to the game, and they have already signed up a list of prominent names to ensure its success.
The advisory board, which will consist of 20 individuals, will comprise both players and managers who will offer their expertise to help safeguard the future of football.
UEFA aims to tap into the wealth of knowledge that these individuals possess to establish a strong and independent voice in the football community.
The creation of this football parliament highlights UEFA’s commitment to promoting transparency and fairness within the sport.
The unprecedented concept, which was first reported byMARCA, will see the group gather to address ‘fundamental issues in the sport, such as the rules of the game, refereeing, UEFA competitions, tactics, and player welfare’.
Their first-ever meeting will take place on April 24 at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
Who are the founding members of UEFA’s ‘football parliament’ and how were they selected?
The board will be chaired by AC Milan and Croatia legend Zvonimir Boban, with Roberto Rosetti – UEFA’s chief refereeing officer – acting as his assistant.
In addition, 20 other highly-respected names have been confirmed as members.
UEFA have set some pretty strict criteria when it comes to the individuals they have invited to be part of the project.
Keen to ensure that those involved have achieved ‘outstanding success’ within the sport and command ‘global respect’, UEFA require that members have either ‘won a significant trophy’ or ‘made more than 100 international appearances’ for their country.
You can check out the full list of founding members below.
The first 20 members of UEFA’s ‘football parliament
Jose Mourinho
Carlo Ancelotti
Zinedine Zidane
Paolo Maldini
Fabio Capello
Javier Zanetti
Luis Figo
Philipp Lahm
Ronald Koeman
Gareth Southgate
Rio Ferdinand
Michael Laudrup
Rafa Benítez
Roberto Martinez
Predrag Mijatovic
Jurgen Klinsmann
Rudi Voller
Petr Cech
Juan Mata
Robbie Keane
The sheer amount of Champions League trophies in that group is astonishing. However, we also feel that Robbie Keane appears somewhat out of sorts.
What prompted UEFA to set up their new ‘football parliament’?
While it’s never a bad idea to ask for the opinions of some of the greatest names in the history of the game,the Daily Mailsuggests that the new committee has been set up partially as a response to the European Super League, whose backers have claimed that ‘football is on the brink of the abyss’.
It would be difficult to imagine that the collective of the aforementioned minds, if provided with a suitable opportunity, would not have a favorable impact on football in general.
The governing bodies are frequently criticized for being disconnected from the sport they govern. In light of this, UEFA should be commended for genuinely attempting to seek input from those who possess firsthand knowledge of the game.
The effectiveness of the proposals in practice is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, given the list of signatories, there is certainly reason for supporters to be hopeful.