The Jamaican, a huge football fan who has often flirted with the idea of playing professionally after he retires from the track, was greeted by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and Fuleco, the official mascot for the next FIFA World Cup™. President Blatter handed ‘Lightning Bolt’ a FIFA No9 shirt and personally invited the man who recently turned 27 to Brazil 2014.
“For years, he has dominated speed events,” said the FIFA President. “I’m very proud that this great gentlemen 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.”
FIFA has invited the IAAF Diamond League organisers to hold their pre-meeting press conference with Usain Bolt, 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.”
28 August, 2013
