Blatter invites Bolt to 2014 W/Cup

The fastest man in the world Usain Bolt
who holds the world record for both the
100 and 200-metre sprints, yesterday
paid a surprise visit to FIFA headquarters
in Zurich.ahead of the IAAF Diamond
League-Weltklasse Zurich meeting on
Thursday evening at the Letzigrund
Stadium.
The Jamaican, a huge football fan who
has often flirted with the idea of playing
professionally after he retires from “For
years, he has dominated speed events,”
said the FIFA President. “I’m very proud
that this great gentleman is here today.
He also showed again recently that the 4
x 100m is very important to him, which
proves that he is a team player, just like
in football.”
Bolt was pleased to visit the Home of FIFA
for the first time. “For me, it’s an honour
to be here today,” he said. “I follow
football and today I saw the World Cup
Trophy for the first time.”
During the press conference, Bolt took
time to answer questions from FIFA
Facebook users, like Kevon Gordon from
Montego Bay in Jamaica, who asked the
six- time Olympic gold medallist which
team he is tipping to win the FIFA World
Cup.
“I’ve been watching a few matches this
year and I’m impressed by Brazil,” was
Bolt’s response. “They have a young team
and can win it at home. A lot of teams
have figured out how to win against
Spain.”
Bolt would love to see Jamaica at Brazil
2014, but his home nation are currently
propping up the six-team group in the
final round of North, Central America and
Caribbean Zone qualifying. The Reggae
Boyz have, though, reacted to their
situation by appointing Winfried Schafer
as coach.
First up for the experienced German is a
trip to Panama on 6 September, and you
can follow that clash live on FIFA.com’s
MatchCast.
“I’ve been watching Jamaican football a
lot over the past years”, Bolt said in
response to a question from @FIFAcom
Twitter user Angky Abdika?, a Barcelona
fan from Indonesia. “There is a lot of
talent in Jamaica, natural talent just like
in athletics. It’s important to try to teach
them skills though. Football is more
difficult and it takes a lot more time [to
develop] than in athletics, but if we are
getting the young guys and teaching them
properly, it would be great.”
FIFA has invited the IAAF Diamond
League organisers to hold their pre-
meeting press conference, in which the
eight-time world champion in 100m,
200m and relay will partake, in the
auditorium of the Home of FIFA, where all
the football governing body’s important
media events invariably take place.
Bolt, meanwhile – already an all-time
great in his sport – would like to follow
the footsteps of legendary figures in other
disciplines. “I would like to become a
legend,” he said, “like Pele, Maradona,
Muhammad Ali or Michael Johnson.”