Blatter to critics: Take a risk and stand against me

The 78-year-old will run for a fifth term and has urged those who say he should not be up for election again should stand against him

Sepp Blatter has challenged out his critics to step up and stand against him in the Fifa presidential election next year.

Blatter has been heavily criticised for the way he has run world football's governing body, but is looking to be re-elected for a fifth term having been in office since 1998.

And the 78-year-old has urged those who have called on him to step down from his role to run for election.

"Don't speak - go out and fight, then you will see," Blatter told reporters. "People, they say I should not be a candidate or I should not be elected - they can take the risk to be in the election."

"Now I say [to] other people, if they want to take the risk, then take the risk. That is good. And I am happy to fight. But if you take the risk you also have the chance to lose.

"If I could not be criticised, I would have no value."

The president has already lost the faith of friend and Uefa president Michel Platini, who has already said he won't support him in the next election.

"I am supporting him no longer, it's finished," Platini told L'Equipe in June. "I've known him for a long time and I like him, but I'm not favourable to him having another term.

"I supported him in 1998 but I do not support him in 2014. In future, I will not support Blatter. I have told him that. I think Fifa needs a breath of fresh air."