Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder

Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder (March 3, 1933 – August 17, 2015), often called "MV", was the Vice President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Prior to his UEFA career, Mayer-Vorfelder was a politician of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, and served in the state cabinet of Baden-Württemberg from 1976 to 1998. He was later president of German soccer club VfB Stuttgart, and the German Football Association.

Mayer-Vorfelder was born in Mannheim, and studied at the university of Freiburg, and Heidelberg University, graduating with a law degree in 1959. A CDU politician, he joined the government of Baden-Württemberg and was appointed permanent secretary at the State Ministry Baden-Württemberg with the rank of a cabinet member in 1976. From 1980 to 1991, he was Minister of Culture and Sports, and Minister of Finance from 1991 to 1998. He was also member of the German Bundesrat during that period. He is a co-founder of the Hans Filbinger Foundation.

Parallel to his CDU career, Mayer-Vorfelder entered the soccer world. In 1975, he became president of VfB Stuttgart, a position he held until 2000. In 2000, Mayer-Vorfelder succeeded Egidius Braun as president of the German Football Association. Narrowly surviving a vote of mistrust in 2004, he shared this duty with Theo Zwanziger until 2006. Mayer-Vorfelder died on August 17, 2015.

Mayer-Vorfelder was married to Margit Deutschle. His son, Michael Mayer-Vorfelder, played 3 games for VfB Stuttgart. On his FIFA page, Mayer-Vorfelder stated that his all-time favourite player was Franz Beckenbauer, and that the German Miracle of Bern World Cup win of 1954 was his favourite match.