In a written statement, Figo cited the fact that the incumbent, Joseph Blatter, who is standing for a fourth term, had not presented a manifesto, and that there are no debates, or opportunity for candidates other than Blatter to speak at FIFA events.


"This electoral process is anything but that, an election," the statement said. "This process is a plebiscite to hand over absolute power to a single man, something that I refuse to countenance. That's why, after reflecting on my own and exchanging opinions with two other candidates in this process, I understand that what will happen on 29 May in Zurich is not a normal electoral act."


Figo, who played for Sporting, AC Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid as well as captaining Portugal, said he was still willing to "participate activity in a regeneration for FIFA".


In the past few months, he said, he had witnessed "a series of episodes, in various parts of the world, that should shame a free, clean and democratic football." That, he said, included the presidents of national federations in private comparing Fifa's top officials "to the devil" and the next day "they would get up on stage and compare the same people to Jesus Christ."


Figo's withdrawal came just hours after Michael van Praag of the Netherlands also pulled out. He said he would back Jordan's Ali bin Al Hussein, in the 29 May election.