Former FIFA president Joao Havelange has died in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro at the age of 100.
The Brazilian was Sepp Blatter's predecessor at world football's governing body, serving from 1974 to 1998.
He is widely credited with redistributing some of FIFA's powers to developing nations by expanding the World Cup from 16 to 32 teams, with six competitions held under his tenure.
A law graduate, businessman, and talented sportsman who represented Brazil in both swimming and water polo, Havelange also helped bring international football into the modern commercial era through corporate sponsorship and television rights.
He resigned as FIFA's honorary president in April 2013 following an investigation into bribery allegations and was admitted to hospital the following year with a lung infection.
Havelange was also an International Olympic Committee member from 1963 until 2011, resigning because of ill health.
Giuseppe Labellarte
