Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, known for his love for football, will join Australian club Central Coast Mariners for an "indefinite training period".
"I am very excited about coming to Australia," Bolt was quoted as saying by the BBC on Monday.
"It has been my dream to play professional football and I know that it will involve a lot of hard work and training to get to the level required to play and make an impact in the A-League.
"I always say that 'anything is possible, don't think limits' and I look forward to the challenge," he added.
The 31-year-old Jamaican, an eight-time Olympic champion and the 100m and 200m world record holder, has already trained with German Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, South African outfit Sundowns and Norway's Stromsgodset.
"I hope I can make a positive contribution to the club and look forward to meeting the other players, staff and fans in the coming weeks," said Bolt who called it a day from athletics last year.
Shaun Mielekamp, chief executive at the Central Coast Mariners, said Bolt would be welcomed "with open arms", but that the club remains "grounded and focused on the job in hand".
"Our goal is to be the most innovative, entertaining and community minded sports brand in Australia, this is our competitive edge," he added.
--IANS
dm/pur/bg
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