Paraguayan Napout Named CONMEBOL President

Paraguay’s Juan Angel Napout has taken over as president of South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL, doctor replacing Uruguayan Euegenio Figueredo who has been named as FIFA vice-president.

Figueredo is replacing the late Julio Grandona, who died last week at the age of 82 and was the president of the Argentine FA and FIFA’s senior vice-president.

Napout, who is the current president of the Paraguayan FA (APF), said: “This is a huge challenge for me because to reach (the presidency of) the South American Football Confederation is the biggest dream there is.

“We know a lot of things are expected of us but we have the confidence (to see them through)… I’m quite ready for this.”

Napout, who said his mandate was until May 2015, explained that CONMEBOL took the decision on Friday at the request of FIFA who wanted Grandona’s replacement named as soon as possible.

“Luis (Bedoya), Marco (Polo del Nero) and Eugenio are those who will represent us at FIFA,” he said referring to CONMEBOL board members on FIFA’s executive committee.

“I, as one more soldier, will be accompanying them to set objectives and keep defending the prestige of South America.”

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