Thanks to Kalam, India can have glimpses of Platini, Beckenbaeur

New Delhi, Apr 17 (UNI) Thanks to President APJ Abdul Kalam, football fans in the country can have glimpses of legends like Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer in the near future as FIFA President Joseph Blatter today promised to send some famous footballers to India to inspire youngsters take up football on the requset of Dr Kalam.

''When we met him yesterday, he (Dr Kalam) said we should send some outstanding footballers to tour India and interact with young people so that they are inspired to take up football. He spoke of Zinedine Zidane ,'' said Mr Blatter, who is making a three-day official visit to the country, at a Special Congress to mark the 70th annivarsary of AIFF here.

''I have promised him that I will fulfil his desire. It would be difficult to arrange a tour by active players becuase of club engagements but we can think of former players.

''We will arrange for two or three retired footballers to tour the country together,'' he said.

''In June, I will have Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer in my new Executive Committee and we can think of them sending to India as football ambassadors.

''Mr Beckenbauer had already declared that he would be available for the game's development activities,'' Mr Blatter, who would be elected unopposed as FIFA president in a Special Congress next month, said.

UNI