Aleksander Čeferin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aleksander Čeferin
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Čeferin in 2019
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| 7th President of UEFA | |
| Assumed office 14 September 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Michel Platini Ángel María Villar (Acting) |
| 17th President of the Football Association of Slovenia |
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| In office 2011–2016 |
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| Preceded by | Ivan Simič |
| Succeeded by | Radenko Mijatović |
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| Born | 13 October 1967 Ljubljana, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) |
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| Alma mater | University of Ljubljana |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Aleksander Čeferin (born on October 13, 1967) is a lawyer from Slovenia. He is a very important person in the world of football. From 2011 to 2016, he was the head of Slovenia's Football Association. Since September 2016, he has been the president of UEFA. UEFA is the main football organization in Europe.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Aleksander Čeferin studied law at the University of Ljubljana. After finishing his studies, he joined his family's law firm. He became very interested in helping professional athletes and sports teams. Later, he took over the firm from his father. His brother, Rok, is now a Vice President at Slovenia's Constitutional Court. His sister, Petra, is an architect and a professor.
Starting in Football Administration
In 2005, Čeferin began to get involved in local football. He worked with the executive board of a futsal club called FC Litija. He was also part of the executive committee for FC Ljubljana Lawyers. From 2006 to 2011, he served on the board of NK Olimpija Ljubljana. In 2011, he was chosen to be the president of the Football Association of Slovenia. This was a big step in his football career.
Leading UEFA
Aleksander Čeferin became the president of UEFA in 2016. This made him a vice-president of FIFA too. He won the election with many votes. His main ideas were to make UEFA more fair and open. He wanted to make sure rules were followed properly.
First Term as UEFA President
One of Čeferin's first goals was to make football more balanced. He wanted to reduce the big gap between rich clubs and smaller ones. He held meetings to find ways to do this. He also worked to make UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules stronger. These rules help clubs manage their money better. Thanks to these rules, European clubs started making profits instead of losing money.
Other changes were made to make UEFA's leadership better. More independent people joined the UEFA Governance and Compliance Committee. Also, representatives from important football groups joined the UEFA Executive Committee. This helped to include more voices in decision-making.
Čeferin also worked to build stronger relationships with European leaders. He wanted to make sure football worked well with governments. He also focused on helping grassroots football and women's association football. UEFA gave more money to develop football at all levels. They especially increased funding for women's football projects. He even signed UEFA's first sponsorship deal just for women's football.
Second Term as UEFA President
In February 2019, Čeferin was re-elected as UEFA president. He promised to keep European football united and respected. He wanted football to continue showing teamwork and giving hope.
During his second term, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped football seasons. But under Čeferin's leadership, UEFA managed to finish its main club competitions. They held special tournaments for the Champions League, Europa League, and Women's Champions League.
Čeferin was strongly against the idea of a separate European Super League. He said it would never happen while he was in charge. When the Super League idea was announced in 2021, he spoke out against it. He urged the clubs involved to change their minds. He said they made a "huge mistake." After his appeal and protests from fans, most clubs left the Super League project. It collapsed just three days after it started.
Third Term as UEFA President
In April 2023, Aleksander Čeferin was re-elected as UEFA President again. He thanked everyone for their support. He promised to always put football first. He said he would do everything to protect the sport.
Work During Third Term
To keep football as the top priority, Čeferin helped create a new UEFA Football Board. This group includes famous football experts like Zinedine Zidane and José Mourinho. They give advice on important topics like rules, referees, and player well-being.
Helping Others Through Football
In 2017, Čeferin became the head of the UEFA Foundation for Children. This foundation helps children around the world. It supports projects related to health, education, and helping children fit in.
Also in 2017, Čeferin joined a charity called Common Goal. He promised to give 1% of his salary to their projects. He believes football can change the world. He asked others in football to also help social causes.
In March 2022, the UEFA Foundation for Children gave €1 million to help children in Ukraine. This money also helped child refugees in nearby countries because of the war. In February 2023, UEFA and the Foundation donated €200,000 to help victims of earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
Awards and Recognition
Aleksander Čeferin has received many awards for his work. In 2016, he was named sports personality of the year in Slovenia. In 2019, SportsPro Media listed him as one of the most influential people in sports. World Soccer magazine also named him one of their people of the year.
In 2021, he was named "Best Executive" by the World Football Summit Awards. This was for his strong leadership against the European Super League. It was also for successfully holding the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament during the pandemic. Politico also included him on their list of the most influential people in Europe. This was for stopping the Super League and opposing a World Cup every two years. In January 2022, a Slovenian newspaper called him the "Person of the Year" for his quick action against the Super League.
Personal Life
Aleksander Čeferin is married to Barbara and they have three daughters. He speaks several languages, including Slovenian, Croatian, Italian, and English. He grew up supporting a football club called Hajduk Split. He is also a 4th Dan black belt in Shotokan Karate. He loves motorsports and has crossed the Sahara Desert five times. He served in the army in Yugoslavia in 1986. He also served as a soldier in the Slovenian War of Independence in 1991.
See Also
In Spanish: Aleksander Čeferin para niños
