FIFA president Sepp Blatter introduces double Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt to the FIFA World Cup trophy in Zurich / Picture: FIFA .

ZURICH: Usain Bolt, double Olympic sprint champion and world record-holder in both the 100m and 200m came ‘face to face’ with the World Cup at the Home of FIFA in Zurich ahead of the IAAF Diamond League-Weltklasse Zurich meeting at the Letzigrund Stadium.

The Jamaican, a huge football fan who had once flirted with the idea of playing professionally, was greeted by FIFA president Sepp Blatter who handed him a FIFA No9 shirt and an invitation to attend next year’s World Cup

Blatter said: “For years, he has dominated speed events. 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 said it was “an honour” to visit FIFA for the first time and picked Brazil as his World Cup favourites, addong: “They have a young team and can win it at home. A lot of teams have figured out how to win against Spain.”

Bolt’s own Jamaica are currently propping up the six-team group in the final round of North, Central America and Caribbean Zone qualifying.

He said: “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.”

Football No9 or an athletics' nine seconds . . . ?

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