President of Spanish Football Federation arrested

Mr. Angel Maria Villar Llona and his son have just been arrested by Spanish police to serve a corruption investigation.

Mr Villar was led away by police from the Spanish Football Federation headquarters in Las Rozas, a suburb of Madrid. Photo: Reuters.

According to El Pais and EFE news agency, Mr. Villar is accused of embezzling public funds. This is a big shock to Spanish football, because the Bilbao-born official has been the top leader of the Spanish Football Federation since 1988.

Villar’s ​​son, Gokar, a legal officer for the federation, was also arrested along with three others on Tuesday, July 18. Gokar served as legal director and then general director of the South American Football Confederation (Comebol) before resigning in July 2016. Before his departure, Gokar was accused of blackmailing several Uruguayan clubs.

Spain's Supreme Court told Reuters that an investigating judge and prosecutors specialising in corruption were leading the operation. Spanish media said investigators had evidence of forged documents and illegal profits from international matches.

Mr. Villar in 2009 when he signed an agreement with Portugal to bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Photo: Reuters.

Villar is the most powerful figure in Spanish football. He took over as interim president of UEFA, Michel Platini, who was ousted in October 2015, but lost the subsequent election.

Attorney Michael Garcia, who led the investigation, said the 67-year-old official had told him he was “brave” for not revealing who had provided the evidence. Villar also asked Garcia to drop the case for “his own good.”

Under Villar, Spain experienced a glorious period with two consecutive Euro championships and one World Cup from 2008 to 2012. This was the time when the red team was considered one of the strongest football forces in history.

Villar's arrest, however, shows that the corruption investigation that originated at FIFA is still ongoing. Several officials who served as presidents of national federations have been caught up in the law.

According to VNE