Brazil legend Romario has launched a movement to end corruption at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) as he seeks to change rules that prevent him leading the governing body.
Romario, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994, entered the political world after concluding his playing career in 2009 and was elected to the Senate in Rio de Janeiro in 2014.
With CBF president Marco Polo del Nero having been suspended for 90 days by FIFA on Friday, two years after he was indicted in the United States on charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, Romario said he would like to take the role.
However, current rules prevent anyone from outside the CBF becoming president.
Romario said he is starting a movement titled "Diretas Já" -- the name of the civil unrest movement that ended the military dictatorship in Brazil in the 1980s -- in an effort to change the rules as he accused ex-FIFA president Joao Havelange, who died aged 100 last year, and former FIFA executive committee member Ricardo Teixeira of having left a lasting culture of corruption.
He wrote on Instagram: "After FIFA suspended CBF president Marco Polo Del Nero from carrying out any football activity nationally and internationally, there is one question in the air. Who will become the next CBF president?
"The correct answer is to say that it will be one of his corrupted and vice-presidents that are part of the system created by Havelange, maintained by Teixeira and all the others that succeeded him.
"But what would the ideal answer be? Our utopia is to see someone who loves football in that role. Today we have one that loves money and is capable of killing football to get it. He has done it in the past years, vulgo 7X1 [Brazil's 7-1 defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup semifinals].
"Brazilian football hit rock bottom in terms of disgrace. If the on-pitch humiliation was not enough, due to a lack of renewal, we had to endure the embarrassment of seeing our football directors in prison or indicted.
"Many ask me if I'm a candidate. In the end, no one else has fought so vigorously against this gang and it is legitimate for me to present my candidature. So the answer is yes, I can become a candidate. I have all the prerequisites for that. All my contributions to football, on and off the pitch, are my credentials.
"Today the CBF spends more on luxuries for executives than investing in football, in addition to the thefts proven by the CPI [parliamentary inquiry committee], such as buying overpriced headquarters and fraudulent sponsorship contracts.
"We need to end this corruption tap and invest in young athletes, return the sport to be a little more social, invest in basic football and women's football. Sport has a power to transform and together with the federations, clubs, athletes and supporters, we can promote good football for everyone.
"But considering how the statutes are today, no one outside of the [confederation] structure can be candidate. Democracy doesn't exist in the CBF. The corrupt protect themselves. I already launched a movement, 'Diretas Já,' in the CBF.
"Now I ask everyone who loves football and is tired of so much dirt to join me in this cause. Players, former players, coaches, clubs, businessmen and federation presidents who want the change. All together!"
The 51-year-old, whose playing career involved spells with Vasco da Gama, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Flamengo, led an inquiry to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Brazilian football officials in 2015.