It was only four days ago the most powerful man in world soccer stood before the cameras with a broad smile, seemingly unfazed by mounting allegations of corruption, saying: "Why would I step down?"
That defiant mood had shifted dramatically by Tuesday, when Sepp Blatter agreed to resign as president of FIFA, the governing body for soccer worldwide, yielding to the pressure of a U.S. federal investigation and growing unrest within his sport.
"I cherish FIFA more than anything," he said. "And I want to do only what is best for FIFA and soccer."
His departure caps a tumultuous seven days in which the U.