Madrid (AFP) – Angel Maria Villar, the head of Spain’s football association, announced Tuesday he had withdrawn his bid to replace the banned Michel Platini as the president of UEFA.

“After a profound reflection I have decided to withdraw my bid,” he said in a statement posted on the website of the Spanish Football Federation.

His surprise defection leaves just two candidates for European football’s top job – Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia and Dutchman Michael van Praag.