David Ginola is being paid £250,000 by a well-known bookmaker to stand against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency.

The former Tottenham winger launched his candidacy at a London press conference and insisted this was not a publicity stunt — despite the bookmaker supporting him being well-known for running cheeky campaigns.

“I believe I have the credentials and capability to be a strong candidate, a candidate of lovers of the game from the four corners of the world,” said the 47-year-old. “The people who follow football should have a voice and a cause. My voice is theirs. My cause is theirs.”

Given the corruption allegations surrounding the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup Ginola’s stance might resonate with people but he is doomed to failure.

The Frenchman admitted today he does not yet have the backing of the five national associations needed if he is to stand in the May election.

He also needs to prove he has had an active role in football for at least two of the last five years, although he believes his work at French third tier side L’Etoile Frejus St Raphael means he meets that criteria.

Blatter is favourite to win a fifth term with other candidates being former FIFA official Jerome Champagne and Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein.