Blatter is reported to be under investigation by US authorities as part of the same operation that led to the arrest of seven FIFA officials at a hotel in Zurich last Wednesday, and the indictment of a total of 14 worldwide.
Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as FIFA president just five days ago, amidst corruption charges swirling around the world football body as former FIFA vice-president, Jack Warner, current vice presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo were among those arrested last week on charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering conspiracies.
The New York Times reported that investigators were hoping that those already indicted would cooperate with them to bring charges against Blatter, in the light of the US authorities conducting a federal corruption investigation with him in the middle of the brewing storm.
“FIFA needs a profound restructuring,” Blatter said in his resignation speech. “Although the members of FIFA have given me the new mandate, this mandate does not seem to be supported by everybody in the world of football.”
Under Blatter's presidency, FIFA has been charged with corruption, vote-rigging during the award of World Cups to competing countries and bribery.
Comic show host John Oliver in the past had ripped FIFA apart over reports of hundreds of labourers dying to build Qatar's World Cup 2022, and he took the recent arrests as an opportunity to take apart whatever was left of Blatter's reputation in a video that quickly went viral as he appealed to the FIFA sponsors who are responsible for its never ending pipeline of cash to put pressure on the body and make him step down.
When his wish was finally granted, he took to Twitter to express joy.
Champagne.... pic.twitter.com/1S8shEcN6E
— John Oliver (@iamjohnoliver) June 2, 2015
Meanwhile, rest of the internet had already joined in on the celebrations as it heaved a sigh of relief and took refuge in humour while hoping for a long pending restructuring to begin in the world's favourite sport administration.
Sepp Blatter has resigned! http://t.co/ZAby8F7DTq
— Football Vines (@FootballVines) June 2, 2015
#SeppBlatter has resigned. Here's what's in store for #Fifa16: http://t.co/P9FSNbMw08 pic.twitter.com/tmNGWNzsgw
— British GQ (@BritishGQ) June 2, 2015
#SeppBlatter nominates mysterious newcomer as successor pic.twitter.com/XvIuO2bKd7
— Laura Tisdall (@LauraTisdall) June 2, 2015
"Goodbye #Blatter." After FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigns, @LatuffCartoons reacts: pic.twitter.com/roR8cDFaCb
— AJ+ (@ajplus) June 2, 2015
South Africa 2010 pic.twitter.com/MZ5GyQEcxb
— seppblatter_not (@Seppblatter_not) May 29, 2015
sepp blatter sounds like something civil war soldiers would die of
— thomas violence (@thomas_violence) June 3, 2015
Sepp Blatter has announced he will resign to spend more time with his family and his shredder.
— Richie McCaw (@RichieHMcCaw) June 3, 2015
Sepp Blatter announces he's taking a new job: pic.twitter.com/HKJMSAyLOi
— Rohan (@mojorojo) June 2, 2015
I think we should all be very worried about Sepp Blatter's next assignment, whatever it is
— RushdieExplainsIndia (@RushdieExplains) June 2, 2015
Renunció Blatter pic.twitter.com/XA10qdPoyt
— PEPE ARGENTO (@pepe__argento) June 2, 2015
President of FIFA Sepp #Blatter resigns to spend more time with his loved ones. pic.twitter.com/arX0dY4CPg
— ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@tumour) June 2, 2015
Best moment of Blatter's career as FIFA President. https://t.co/FbXkCYM1YX
— Football Trolls (@Footballltrolls) June 2, 2015
And this tweet from last year popped up on feeds once more.
Angela Merkel at the World Cup with a venal, authoritarian leader. And Vladimir Putin is there too. pic.twitter.com/otQ2nskfG5
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) July 13, 2014