Angolan President invited to Germany 2006 World Cup

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos was on Wednesday invited by the chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2006 World Cup, Franz Beckenbauer, to go to Germany to watch the premier tournament.

Beckenbauer, speaking to journalists at the end of a 30-minute audience which was attended by Angolan minister of Youth and Sports, Marcos Barrica, and chairman of the Angolan Football Federation (FAF), Justino Fernandes, said: "Naturally I invited him".

"I think that the president will want to check the results of Angola in the first stage. If they (results) are satisfactory and Angola is through to the next stage, I am sure he will go to Germany,"said Beckenbauer.

In his brief interview he also mentioned that "it was a great honor to be welcomed by the President of the Republic, a very kind person, with great personality and a lover of football".

During the audience Beckenbauer assured:"We will welcome Angola in a cordial way, similarly to what we are going to do with all those that will travel to the World Cup in Germany".

Beckenbauer arrived Tuesday in Luanda, from Tunisia, and he travels today to Togo, his third stage of his tour of Africa that is aimed at presenting formally the invitation to the countries that qualified for the World Cup finals.

Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire will complete the group of the five African countries qualified for this competition.

Angola, the first time to play in World Cup, has been drawn in Group D, with Iran, Mexico and Portugal. Angola's first match will be against Portugal on July 11.