Dutch Football Association president Michael Van Praag pulled out of the race for the Fifa presidency yesterday to back Ali bin al-Hussein.

Van Praag, who in recent weeks has been backed by Ucatt and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), held a press conference in Amsterdam yesterday evening elaborating on his decision.

Luis Figo also withdrew his candidacy, saying the election process was a “plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man — something I refuse to go along with.”

Van Praag’s withdrawal is seen as a huge blow as he offered the best hope to the abused Qatari migrant workers building the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.

But a statement said: “After thorough deliberation and reflection with different involved parties and stakeholders, Michael van Praag decided to withdraw his candidacy to become the next Fifa president and to join forces with Prince Ali Hussein.”

Ucatt’s backing came after ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said that Van Praag had made the most “most concrete statements on Qatar’s notorious system of worker exploitation and the need for Fifa to act.”

A Ucatt spokesperson said to the Star last week: “Fifa’s failure to even consider the plight of the migrant workers in Qatar shames football.

“If a candidate for the president of Fifa is willing to tackle the huge exploitation faced by the workforce and ensure that hundreds of workers aren’t dying every year, then of course that candidate should be supported by everyone who believes in common decency.”

Blatter is currently the favourite to retain his position as president, a title he has held for 17 years, despite not publishing a manifesto.

“I am now 40 years in Fifa and I am 17 years as president of Fifa. This is my manifesto,” he has said.