Michel Platini, the 51-year-old former France and Juventus star, has been voted UEFA's new president. Platini succeeds Sweden's Lennart Johansson, who has been in the post for the previous 17 years.
Platini has some revolutionary new ideas on his agenda, including limiting Champions League places to three per country and introducing a salary cap.
Platini's closeness to FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter, may also increase Blatter's influence on UEFA, where once he was kept at arm's length by Johansson.
Johansson opposed Platini's proposed changes to the Champions League, which would be deeply unpopular with the top clubs in Italy, Germany, Spain and England.
Platini won the ballot by 27 votes to 23, with much of his support coming from Eastern European countries who stand to benefit from any opening up of UEFA's cash cow, the Champions League.
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