It was a day many thought would never come – certainly not so soon after he won a fifth term in office.
But today Sepp Blatter announced he would be standing down as president of Fifa.
It came out of nowhere, at a hastily organised and – and then delayed – press conference.
Here’s how it unfolded.
The press conference was called.
Hastily called FIFA press conference? Could be fun.
— Matt Ramsay (@ramsaymatt) June 2, 2015
People dared to dream.
FIFA hastily called press conference….. #BlatterOut ??
— Helen Lupton (@MsHels76) June 2, 2015
Then it was delayed.
Fifa press conference delayed by 30 mins.
— Richard Conway (@richard_conway) June 2, 2015
And people wondered why that might be…
FIFA presser delayed – did some more arrests get in the way?
— East Coast Bias (@ECoastBias) June 2, 2015
#FIFA Press conference delayed – some payments haven't cleared yet.
— Norman Shenley (@NormanSShenley) June 2, 2015
Can't help but think this delayed #FIFA press conference is a ruse to have us all listen to muzak while they do something evil. #diversion
— Ryan Bailey (@RyanJayBailey) June 2, 2015
Then the press conference finally started.
FIFA press conference starting now with the media chief
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 2, 2015
The words coming out of Sepp Blatter’s mouth seemed to point in one specific direction…
Blatter: I have thoroughly considered my presidency and about the last 40 years in my life, these years were closely related to FIFA
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 2, 2015
It couldn’t be, could it?
Wow… He's going right? #Blatter
— Rachel Burden (@rachelburden) June 2, 2015
Blatter out?
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 2, 2015
OH MY GOD…..
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) June 2, 2015
it's happening. he's gone!
— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) June 2, 2015
He won't will he?
— Ian McCourt (@ianmccourt) June 2, 2015
OH MY GOD. NO WAY………
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) June 2, 2015
There was caution in some quarters…
Careful, he could be trolling us
— James Horncastle (@JamesHorncastle) June 2, 2015
Hold your fire. It might be a trap…
— Iain Macintosh (@iainmacintosh) June 2, 2015
Then he spoke the words. The actual words.
Blatter quits.
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) June 2, 2015
And there was genuine shock around the world of football and beyond.
BLATTER'S GONE!!!!!!!!
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) June 2, 2015
BLATTER. GONE. WOW!
— Ian McCourt (@ianmccourt) June 2, 2015
I actually don't adam and eve it
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) June 2, 2015
Sepp Blatter, the great survivor, is to step down. Incredible moment
— Ben Smith (@BenSmithBBC) June 2, 2015
Sepp Blatter is to resign as FIFA President. I never thought I'd see the day.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) June 2, 2015
Blatter has resigned. Can't quite believe it. FIFA always appeared to be such a fine upstanding organisation.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 2, 2015
There was joy.
Finally!!
— Philip Neville (@fizzer18) June 2, 2015
Brilliant, just brilliant.
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) June 2, 2015
A great day for football #Blatterquits
— Nick Szczepanik (@NickSzczepanik) June 2, 2015
Adeus pic.twitter.com/js7VsoA3iQ
— Leonardo Bertozzi (@lbertozzi) June 2, 2015
"Have a nice day": parting words from #Fifa PR at end of conference during which Blatter resigned. Football certainly having a nice day now.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 2, 2015
And there were questions about the future.
We need a caretaker President to steady the ship. Has anyone got Tony Parkes’ number?
— Iain Macintosh (@iainmacintosh) June 2, 2015
Someone call David Ginola! #Blatter #FIFA
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) June 2, 2015
And then there was this.
Sepp Blatter leaves FIFA HQ. Slowly, with each step, his limp gets less pronounced. Soon, he walks normally and blends into the crowd.
— SimonNRicketts (@SimonNRicketts) June 2, 2015
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled…
Source: SNAPPA
