France to play Brazil to mark FIFA centenary
30/06/2003
France to play Brazil to mark FIFA centenary
By Rex Gowar
PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - France, co-founders of FIFA and creators of the
World Cup, will play five-times world champions Brazil in a friendly next May
to mark the centenary of the sport's governing body.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter, speaking before Sunday's Confederations Cup
final, announced the May 20 Stade de France match as part of a series of
events to mark the organisation's 100th birthday next year.
In South America, there will be a match to celebrate the first World Cup
staged in Montevideo, capital of twice winners Uruguay, in 1930.
There will also be an issue of commemorative stamps and coins and a series of
other celebratory events throughout 2004.
French Football Federation president Claude Simonet, speaking after Blatter,
sang the praises of France in its leading role in world football.
Pele, and former France midfielder Michel Platini, now on FIFA's executive
committee, talked about the greatness of the game and their memories as
players, and the Brazilian broke down in tears when he remembered his late
father.
"My father used to teach me, saying you're going to be good player but more
important is to be good person, so it's an honour to represent FIFA, the
biggest family in the world," Pele said.
"It's a big responsibility, it's important to keep everyone together, black,
white, poor, rich, it doesn't matter, and football can do that," he added,
choking back the tears as he recalled his humble beginnings.
Both men recalled previous meetings between the two countries.
They include Pele's first World Cup at 17 in 1958, when he scored a hat-trick
to help Brazil beat France in the semi-final in Sweden on the way to their
first title, and France's win in the 1998 final at the Stade de France.