Just refuse to lie down

with a series of dramatic arrests already made.

Investigations have proved then Asian Football Confederation president bin Hammam was the mastermind behind Qatar’s miraculous vote-gathering campaign to secure an unlikely World Cup for his home nation.

Blatter’s and Platini’s support was pivotal. So, too, that of former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner who has since been banned for life.

Bin Hammam and Platini helped Blatter win elections, before trying to dethrone the Swiss political animal who helped bring on their downfall.

It’s scary to think how much money has been pinched from FIFA, with the 2014 World Cup alone generating $6.65 billion.

While Blatter’s and Platini’s explanations were “unconvincing”, the Ethics Committee didn’t have the smoking gun to charge the pair with corruption.

But FIFA’s four heavy-hitters – Blatter, Platini, Warner and bin Hammam – have now been banned.

Platini had visions of being praised at Euro 2016, hosted in his home country France. Now, he has to sit among the mere mortals – the kind of people they began serving, but have since betrayed, after diving into the FIFA cesspit of greed and corruption.

They’ll go down fighting, Blatter made that clear in his theatrical press conference, finishing with “I’ll be back”.