Former Marseille president Vincent Labrune was elected president of the French Football League (LFP) on Thursday, seeing off media personality and pre-vote favourite Michel Denisot.

Labrune, 49, who was Marseille chief between 2011 and 2016 and already a member of the LFP board, takes over from Nathalie Boy de la Tour, the first women to head French football's governing body.

Labrune was elected in a vote by clubs and representatives of coaches, players, referees, doctors and administrative personnel in a general assembly held in Paris.

"I know the complexity of the task, the situation of French football and the crisis we are going through," said Labrune in a statement, calling for the "modernisation" of French football.