Blatter says football has no need to fight cricket

FIFA President Joesph Sepp Blatter, on his first official visit to the Indian city of Kolkata, said that football doesn't need to fight cricket for popularity but should bank on its existing culture to flourish in the country. "We are here not to fight against an established sport. I admire the game called cricket. And I also admire young people playing any game," he told media. However, he still insisted on football's influence over world culture to appeal to the Indian fans to take up the sport.

"I always campaign for soccer because it is this game where there is no difference of caste, culture and creed, rich and poor. It is the fascination of this game that attracts people all over the world," he said. We don't to want to change the most established sport in your country now. But I want to say that it is football which started here much before FIFA originated. This shows how much football has penetrated in your country," he added.