Lennart Johansson

<p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Lennart Johansson - the Robin Hood of World Football</strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>The founder of the Champions League Lennart Johansson was UEFA's longest serving president remaining honorary president until his death in 2019. In 1998 he contested the FIFA presidency losing to the infamous Sepp Blatter.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>From his working class roots as a boy cycling from his home to watch AIK at the Rasunda Stadium he rose to become not only one of the most powerful men in football but also one of the most honest. In an era of big money and corruption he believed that the beautiful game should be for everyone and he worked tirelessly to support the less affluent players and clubs. He consistently refused to submit to bribes and is named in Andrew Jennings' book </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>The Dirty Game</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)> (2015) as one of the few powerful men in football to be completely free from corruption. It was also he who brought English clubs back into European competitions saying 'England needs Europe and Europe needs England.'</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Lennart Johansson believed in fair play and integrity and his empathy honesty and enthusiasm made him a leader who left a deep mark on the history of football.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>This his autobiography written with the help of his friend Sören 'Sulo' Karlsson has been translated for the first time into English and tells his story in his words. This book includes images from Lennart Johansson's private collection. In accordance with his wishes his share of the royalties will go to his beloved club AIK.</span></p><p></p>