Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini were both exonerated of corruption allegations by a Swiss court on Friday.
Blatter, FIFA’s president for 17 years, was exonerated of fraud by the Federal Criminal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona.
Platini, a former France national team captain and manager, was also cleared of fraud charges.
Prosecutors had accused Blatter, a Swiss who led FIFA for 17 years, and Platini of unlawfully arranging for FIFA to pay the Frenchman two million Swiss francs (£1.7m) in 2011.
The two, who were once among the most prominent men in world football, have disputed the claims levelled against them.
Both officials were banned from football for eight years in 2015 over the payment, although their bans were later reduced.
Platini, who also lost his job as UEFA president following the ban, said the affair was a deliberate attempt to thwart his attempt to become FIFA president in 2015.
Speaking following the verdict, Platini said: “I want to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation.”
He added: “My fight is a fight against injustice. I won a first game.
“In this case, there are culprits who did not appear during this trial. Let them count on me, we will meet again. Because I will not give up and I will go all the way in my quest for truth.
“Believe me, going from being a legend of world soccer to a devil is very difficult, especially when it comes to you in a totally unfair way.”