Soccer-Former Croatia international Boban given high-ranking FIFA role

ZURICH, May 30 (Reuters) - Former Croatia midfielder Zvonimir Boban was given a high-ranking role at FIFA on Monday when soccer's global body named him as one of its two new deputy secretary generals. Boban, 47, will oversee the "football pillar" of FIFA's new administration, focusing on developing the game and the organisation of competitions, the sport's ruling body said in a statement. Marco Villiger, currently FIFA's legal director, was named as the other deputy secretary general and will be in charge of commercial and administrative operations. The appointments were announced by FIFA's new secretary general Fatma Samoura during what the ruling body described as a "courtesy visit" to its headquarters. Samoura, herself a surprise appointment announced this month, will take up her post on June 20. (Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Ed Osmond)