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New FIFA chief Infantino wants to see football develop in India

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ANI Zurich

Newly-elected FIFA president Gianni Infantino has expressed that he wants to see football develop in under-performing countries like India and China in forthcoming years.

"I want to see kids playing football in the schools in Oceania. I want to see Asia, China, India developing their football. I want to see football growing all over the world," Infantino was quoted as saying by goal.com.

"And people looking at FIFA as the organization who helps each country in the world to develop football and who helps kids to smile and their eyes because they have a ball and they can play with it," the 45-year-old Swiss said after replacing compatriot Sepp Blatter as the head of the world football's governing body.

 

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After failing to get the required two-thirds majority in the hotly-contested first round, Infantino secured 115 of the 207 eligible votes in round two to take over the helm of FIFA ahead of Sheikh Salman of Bahrain.

Sheikh Salman, who had been viewed as the favourite to succeed Blatter, received 88 votes, while Prince Ali of Jordan got four, and Jerome Champagne of France had zero.

Infantino, who will leave his job as the general secretary of UEFA, became the second straight FIFA president from Switzerland.

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First Published: Feb 27 2016 | 8:35 PM IST

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