Nils Lennart Johansson (5 November 1929 – 4 June 2019) was a Swedish sports official who served as the fifth and, to date, longest-serving president of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations. He served in the position from his election at the UEFA Congress in 1990 until 2007. In June 1998, he contested the FIFA presidential election against Sepp Blatter, losing by 111 votes to 80.
Early life
Johansson grew up in , a then newly built suburb west of Stockholm with his parents, his father Erik Hilmer Johansson (1884–1963) and mother Anna-Maria Johansson (née Pettersson 1886–1964). As a child, he used to bike from his home to Råsunda Stadium to watch AIK matches along with his brothers. starting as an errand-boy and in the end becoming the company's CEO and chairman. From 1984, he was a president of the board of Tipstjänst and Operakällaren; he was also chairman and president of AIK between 1967 and 1980. Johansson was a lifelong supporter of AIK. In 1990, he was voted UEFA President at the UEFA Congress in Malta. During Johansson's presidency, the UEFA headquarters were also moved from Bern to Nyon. It was alleged that Blatter's victory had been helped by bribery involving João Havelange. After the election, Johansson accused Blatter of financial mismanagement, and voted for Issa Hayatou rather than Blatter at the 2002 FIFA presidency election.
In 2007, Johansson was succeeded as UEFA president by Michel Platini.
In 2001, the trophy given to the winning team of Swedish league Allsvenskan was renamed after Johansson: Lennart Johanssons Pokal.
Awards and honours
thumb|Tribute to Johansson at [[Friends Arena in June 2019]]
- 50x50px Illis quorum, 12th size (22 February 2005)
- 50x50px Great Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2005)
- 50x50px Supreme Companion of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo (29 October 2004)
- 50x50px Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon (18 November 1997)
- 50x50px Officer of the National Order of Merit (August 2002)
- 50x50px Third Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
- 50x50px First Class of the Order of Merit
- 50x50px Order of Friendship
- Unidentified Red Cross Medal His second marriage was with Lola Sidenvall (1929–2017). In December 2017, he became a widower after his wife Lola died.
In 2008, he suffered a severe cerebral haemorrhage, and after that his physical health began to fail. Johansson died on 4 June 2019, aged 89.