Zvonimir Boban added that the reason for his departure was Ceferin's support for a proposal to change UEFA's rules at its upcoming General Assembly on February 8 in Paris, which would allow him to seek re-election when his current four-year term expires in 2027.

Current UEFA rules prevent the president and members of the Executive Committee from running for office more than three times or remaining in their positions for more than 12 years.

"Ironically, it was Mr Ceferin who proposed and initiated the package of reforms in 2017 that were supposed to protect UEFA and European football," Boban said.

"His departure from these values and the changes in the main reforms are difficult to understand, especially in this special time for football. If I were to accept such a difficult and wrong decision and turn my head, I would be going against the principles and general values in which I deeply believe. I am not playing any hero and I know very well that many people have the same opinion."

UEFA, for its part, issued a statement confirming Boban's departure: "UEFA wishes to announce the departure of Zvonimir Boban from the competition by mutual agreement," the statement read.

"Boban joined the organization in 2021 as head of football and initiated several important projects in technical development, including the establishment of the UEFA Football Council and the Youth Football Forum. UEFA expresses its gratitude to Mr Boban for his dedicated service and wishes him the best of luck in his future career.”

Ceferin who was first elected in 2016 in Athens (then for the remainder of the term of his ousted Michel Platini) was re-elected as UEFA president in April 2023 in Lisbon at the annual Congress, as no other candidate had been nominated.

So now Boban comes and causes internal turmoil in the leadership of UEFA and more so in its president, Slovenian Aleksandar Ceferin who sees that things are no longer so convenient and in his favor. Of course, much can be done in the Congress, as Boban himself admitted, and he passed his proposals with an almost absolute majority.

One is that of extending his term. Another increase in the age limit for officials, which is now 70 years (logical because today a 70-year-old is not old), So a little patience and we'll see what happens...