LONDON Dec II ; The supremacy of Europe and South America as foot ball's twin power Isises may come

under attack for the first time In the search lor a successor ■* FIFA president to Joao Have lange following hl* decision to retire In I99H reports Reuter

Three potential candidatea for the presidency have emerged from Europe — UEFA president Lennart Johanaaon. FIFA gen ersl secretary Sepp Blatter and more Intrlgulngly Bayern Mu nlch president ano former World Cup winner Franz Bet k enbauer

But Africa and Asia have also thrown up potential sue cesaors to NO year old Brazilian Havelange who announced on Saturday he would step down after the World Cup finals tn France. 24 years alter he took the reins of power at soccer* world governing body

From the Far Eaat come* FIFA vice president Chung Moon Jung, the man chiefly re sponsible tor bringing hall ol the 2002 World Cup to South Korea

Chung, a leading buaines* tycoon and member of the South Korean Parliament as well as president of the coun try's national soccer federation has tieen an energetic advocate of his country's bid to co-host the first finals of the 21st cen tury with neighbour* Japan

He has locked horns w«h Havelange in the past most notably in November last year when he aimed a stinging re buke at his boss for visiting Nigeria at a time when the west African country was being condemned across the globe for human rights abuses

Africa's potential FIFA president is Issa Hayatou. wldely-i respected head of the African I Football Federation — less vocal than Chung but a natural power-broker and negotiator.

The Cameroonian was instrumental in winning Africa an additional two berths to the 1998 finals in France when the decision was taken after the 1994 US finals to expand the competition from 24 teams to 32

Five African teams will compete in France as opposed to three in the United States.

The performances of Cameroon and Nigeria in the last two World Cups and at this [•ear s Olympic Games in At-anta have greatly raised the profile of black African soccer around the world and some will feel the time is right for an African to rule at FIFA headquarters in Zurich. How much support Hayatou has outside Africa remains to be seen.

If either Chung or Hayatou do decide to stand in what will be a straightforward one-coun-try-one-vote ballot, they will

undoubtedly face opposition from at least one of the nig guns of European soccer politics

Until recently UEFA chief Johansson often at odds with the autocratic Havrlange had been considered favourite to take over from the Brazilian

But the Swede who said a long time back be would run for the job when Havelangr stood down haa done himself no favours recently

Firstly he chaired a FIFA committee which angered Scotland by unexpectedly or dering them io replay a world Cup tie with Estonia which was cancelled in October after a far deal row over the kick-off time.

Then. tor inure seriously. hs incurred the wrath of soccer s brightest emerging nation by describing Africans as "black les” in an Interview last month with a Swedish newspaper

Although he subsequently stressed he is not a racist and apologised lor his comments.

uttered on the eve of the European community* European Ear against racism in 1997 a

■ling remains that the Swede is mavbe not the man to guide soccer s global family into the 21st century

By 2006 when Johansson would be eight years into his reign if lie surryrded Havrlange an African nation could well be hosting, and maybe winning, the WorM Cup

Switzerland s Blatter le per haps a more likely European < andldatrs and. os FIFA's gen rral secretary can claim to know the ins arxl outs of the or ganisation better than his po fcntlal rivals

Hla current contract expires after thr France finals, just when Havrlange Is due to go

And finally there le Bec ken bauer who would undoubtedly lie the (xople * < lx>K r In Europe

The Kalwr s credentials are undisputed He Is thr only man to have won thr World Cup aa both player and conch and Is respected ac ross thr world for his intelligent approach to the game Al 51 he is also young enough to pilot world football well into the next century

Beckenbauer has already said he will quit as president of Bayern next year but has yet to announce what he plana to do next.

I have watched al) that has happened lately very closely and have spoken to certain peo pie at the highest levels, he feMdwtica aaked recently about the job as FIFA s overlord "But then I am in touch with them regularly on football matters "When I leave Bayern I must be certain the next move is the right one All I will say is 1 would not exclude taking over as president of FIFA