Switzerland should be "grateful" to disgraced FIFA president Sepp Blatter, while world football's governing body will struggle to replace the Swiss, according to his ex-wife.

Graziella Blatter-Bianca, who was married to Blatter between 2002 and 2004, has leapt to the defence of her former husband, detailing how she saw him give everything to the role of football's top executive.

"When Sepp Blatter was suspended for eight years for acts that still must be proved, he should also have been given a bonus of 20 years for all the good he did for football," she told Blick.

"That means: 20 minus eight years. He should be allowed to stay in office for another 12 years. Really, he would deserve even more years, but given his advanced age 12 is realistic."

While Blatter-Bianca stopped short of professing Blatter is not guilty of the crimes of which he has been accused, she did say he always seemed to have done his best for the beautiful game

"I saw everything that he gave to his job," she added. "FIFA will find it difficult to find someone who does as much. Switzerland should be grateful to him."

Blatter is serving an eight-year ban after FIFA's ethics committee found him guilty of making a "disloyal payment" to UEFA president Michel Platini in 2011, a verdict handed down last month.

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He is set to be replaced in February having led FIFA since 1998.

The 79-year-old, who is appealing the decision to ban him, is alleged to have authorised a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.87 million) from FIFA to Platini.