BRAZIL: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Franz Beckenbauer, President of the World Cup Organizing Committee, visits Rio de Janeiro and the Maracana Stadium.

Record ID: 872773

  • Title: BRAZIL: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Franz Beckenbauer, President of the World Cup Organizing Committee, visits Rio de Janeiro and the Maracana Stadium.
  • Date: 18th February 2006
  • Summary: CLOSE UP: BECKENBAUER SIGNING SOCCER BALL TILT UP TO FACE
  • Embargoed: 5th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • City:
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAA0Z1F0R832OA830N51Z4IKM73
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Franz Beckenbauer continued his South American trip on Thursday (February 16) by visiting Rio de Janeiro where he told journalists it might be "very, very difficult" for other teams to beat Brazil in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
    The President of the World Cup Organising Committee, and World Cup-winning former captain and coach, is visiting all the tournament's qualifying nations.
    Beckenbauer visited Mangueira, one of Rio's favelas or shantytowns, where there is a large concrete building used for samba dance instruction, rehearsal, sports and other performances. It is named the Mangueira Olympic Village and helps many poor children to enjoy sports and dance.
    During a visit to the huge Maracana Stadium, built for the 1950 World Cup, remembered one of Brazil's best performances.
    "I think, you know, I remember the game in the final of the confederation Cup Brazil-Argentina, 4-1 for Brazil and the way the Brazilian team played it. You cannot play better. So if they play similar in the World Cup so I think it's going to be very, very difficult to beat Brazil," he said.
    The World Cup begins in Germany on June 9 this year. Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil have all qualified from Latin America.
    Beckenbauer left his footprints in the walk of fame outside Maracana stadium and signed soccer balls for fans.
    The former soccer star had earlier visited Argentina.
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