Frenchman Michel Platini (R) hugs outgoing UEFA president Lennart Johansson after Platini was elected the new president at the UEFA Congress in Duesseldorf Jan. 26, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

BERLIN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- France soccer legend Michel Platini was elected UEFA president Friday after a 27-23 vote in favor of Platini over Swedish Lennart Johansson.

The 51-year-old Platini pledged to revamp European soccer's most prestigious club competition.

Platini won by 27-23, with two invalid votes, in a secret ballot of UEFA's 52 federations, ousting the 77-year-old Swede after 17 years at the helm of world soccer's biggest regional body.

"It takes a lot of work to get 27 (votes). This is a great victory for me but I'm not going to do a lap of honor because now the work starts," said Platini.

Platini, who was elected to a four-year term, said he will push ahead with his controversial plan for changes in Europe's elite Champions League.

He wants to limit the number of clubs qualifying from  any one country to three instead of four. That would take away a spot from big nations such as England, Spain and Italy, giving more space to smaller clubs.

"The new format will be in 2009-2010," Platini said. "It is one of my great challenges."

Platini was a three-time European player of the year who led France to the European Championship title in 1984. The former Juventus star helped organize the 1998 World Cup in France and has worked closely with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who publicly endorsed him on the eve of the vote.

Immediately after the result was announced, Platini asked the congress to elect Johansson as honorary president. The Swede was approved by acclamation.

On Thursday, Blatter said in a speech to UEFA delegates that Platini was his choice to lead European soccer.

Blatter, who defeated Johansson for the FIFA presidency in 1998 after a bitter campaign, believes his often rocky relations with UEFA will now improve.

French President Jacques Chirac hailed Platini's election as a chance for French sport to flourish in the international arena.

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