Sepp Blatter
 

The seemingly unbreakable Sepp Blatter has finally cracked -- and it almost cost him his life. The embattled FIFA president, currently under a 90-day suspension from his position due to his role in corruption allegations, was admitted to a hospital this month for a "small emotional breakdown."

In reality, the small stress-related episode grew into a life-threatening situation. In an interview with Swiss TV channel RTS, set to air Wednesday, Blatter describes how tenuous his situation became.

"I was very close [to death]," he said, according to The Guardian. "I was among the angels singing and the devil with the fire. But it was the angels who sang."

Casting Sepp Blatter For Ben Affleck's FIFA Movie

 

Casting For Sepp Blatter

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are producing a movie about the FIFA scandal.

 

Dustin Hoffman

He was great as a villain in "Hook."

 

Dustin Hoffman

Hoffman's versatility makes him capable of handling nearly any role.

 

Gerard Depardieu

Here's a unique qualification for playing a role of villian: Being actual friends with Vladimir Putin.

 

Gerard Depardieu

In his autobiography, Depardieu writes that Putin "immediately liked my hooligan side."

 

James Garner

Yes, we realize that Garner passed away last year ...

 

James Garner

... but the resemblance is uncanny.

 

John Cusack

Cusack is 30 years younger than Blatter.

 

John Cusack

But the magic of Hollywood makeup can do wonders in bridging the gap.

 

Tommy Lee Jones

One of his most memorable roles was on the side of law enforcement as a U.S. Marshal in "The Fugitive" but ...

 

Tommy Lee Jones

... he did play the villain role of Two Face in "Batman Forever."

 

Robert Duvall

The ultimate pro, Duvall always delivers in whatever role he's given.

 

Robert Duvall

Duvall is 84, and we know he'd still come through.

 

Alan Arkin

At 81, Arkin is in the same age range as Blatter.

 

Alan Arkin

As a 72-year-old, Arkin earned the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in "Little Miss Sunshine."

 

Danny DeVito

Everyone loved to hate him as Louie De Palma on "Taxi."

 

Danny DeVito

Plus, he played the Penguin in "Batman Returns."

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Blatter also admitted that the allegations and investigation surrounding FIFA's business practices played into his hospital visit.

"The pressure was enormous," Blatter said. "If you are strong mentally, you can resist, but at some point the body says 'no,' and here the body has reacted badly."

Blatter is out of the hospital now, but his troubles aren't going away: an appeal his 90-day suspension from FIFA was rejected last week, forcing him to stay on the sidelines as investigations run their course. The organization's ethics committee is expected to reveal its own findings from an investigation sometime in the next few days.

Blatter, 79, has been accused of giving UEFA president Michel Platini and illegal payment of 1.3 million pounds -- roughly $2 million U.S. Platini is also under a 90-day suspension.

In the end, the continued suspension is likely good for all parties involved: Blatter's doctors recommended that he take more time away from work, and FIFA is in desperate need of new leadership -- or at least the absence of previous executives who oversaw tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent activity.

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