Blatter explains the kick-off to Sister Maria Felix ahead of the Sepp Blatter Soccer Tournament in his home town of Ulrichen, canton Valais, in August 2007 (Keystone)
Keystone
Blatter flanked by UEFA president and French football legend Michel Platini (to his right) and German hero Franz Beckenbauer during the tenth Sepp Blatter Soccer Tournament in August 2007 (Keystone)
Keystone
Conducting local musicians in Visp, canton Valais, in 2001 (RDB/SI/Bruno Voser)
RDB
Throwing a ball in the air at FIFA's Zurich headquarters in 2007 (Keystone/Christian Schnur)
Keystone/Christian Schnur
Presenting Pope Francis with a personalised shirt at the Vatican in November 2013 (Keystone/Ansa/Osservatore Romano)
Keystone/Ansa/Osservatore Romano
A protestor holds caricatures of Blatter and German football legend Franz Beckenbauer before a World Cup match between Iran and Angola in 2006 (Reuters)
Reuters
Blatter shows how to confuse an opponent by deliberately missing the ball. Taken in the run-up to the 2006 World Cup in Germany (Keystone)
Keystone
Blatter having a tête-à-tête with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil (Reuters)
Reuters
After being given the title of First Class Grand Commander by the Malaysian football association in 2011 (Keystone)
Keystone
Cutting a rope and sending an iron ball into a wall to mark the start of construction on FIFA's future headquarters in Zurich in 2004 (Keystone)
Keystone
Donning traditional Indian headgear in New Delhi in 2007 (Keystone)
Keystone
Donning protective headgear at Soccer City near Soweto ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa (Keystone)
Keystone
Wearing traditional Ghanaian outfits with UEFA head Michel Platini and Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou in 2008 (Reuters)
Reuters
See you later, Blater: grateful South African fans in Durban during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa (Keystone)
Keystone
Blatter leaves a press conference after announcing his resignation in Zurich on June 2, 2015 (AFP)
AFP
Publicity shy: two words that cannot be used to describe Sepp Blatter, who has announced he will quit as president of world football’s governing body FIFA.
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Born in London, Thomas was a journalist at The Independent before moving to Bern in 2005. He speaks all three official Swiss languages and enjoys travelling the country and practising them, above all in pubs, restaurants and gelaterias.
Blatter led FIFA for 17 years and in that time never missed an opportunity to pose for the camera, whether it was hobnobbing with heads of state, donning local garb or teaching a nun how to kick a ball.
Whoever follows him – an election to choose a new president will probably not take place before December – will struggle to generate as many memorable images as the man described not only as corrupt and despotic but also charismatic and entertaining.
Not that press photographers should despair immediately: Blatter will remain in his position until a successor is chosen. Among the potential candidates to lead FIFA is European football federation chief Michel Platini, who said Blatter had made “a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision”.
Another named being bandied about is Switzerland’s Domenico Scala, independent chairman of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee.
Former Brazil international Zico did not rule out a bid, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro suggested Argentine legend Diego Maradona could be the next FIFA chief. Sports photographers will be crossing their fingers for Maradona!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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Swiss media relieved by Blatter resignation
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Sepp Blatter’s shock U-turn decision to step down as FIFA president has been met with huge surprise and relief by Swiss newspapers – all of which, however, point to the major challenges ahead for world football’s governing body.
Sepp Blatter announces his resignation amid corruption scandal
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On Tuesday evening in Zurich, Sepp Blatter, president of the world football body FIFA, announced plans to step down once a successor is found.
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FIFA’s beleaguered head, Sepp Blatter, has won his fifth presidential term, despite the eruption this week of corruption allegations during his time as chief of world football’s governing body.
FIFA corruption targeted in sweeping US, Swiss probes
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Seven of the most powerful figures in global football face extradition to the United States on corruption charges after being arrested in Switzerland, where authorities also announced a criminal investigation into the awarding of the next two World Cups.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.