Sepp Blatter

June 13, 200917 yr

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has defended the world-record fee offered by Real Madrid for Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Primera Division giants, having only recently landed Kaka from AC Milan for Â£56million, have had an Â£80million offer accepted by United for Ronaldo.

The extravagant fee has come in for criticism, with Uefa President Michel Platini describing the deal as "excessive" and calling it a "serious challenge to the idea of fair play".

Blatter, though, does not see a problem with the money involved, despite the current economic crisis, and feels the deal represents the game's ever-improving popularity.

"We are in a very sensitive market nowadays, because there is an economic crisis," he said.

Emotions

"But in football, if we are in a good market, it means that football is a good product, not just to buy or sell but a product that gives people what they want, which is emotions.

"This is the game of the people and they need stars. Okay, it is a lot of money, but he is performing."

Blatter continued: "Look, there was a case 10 years ago when there was a contract made by a player going from one Spanish club to another Spanish club and he had the same name at the time, and it was $50million?

"So what is Â£80 million now? That means there is still demand to have a star.

Picasso

"Ten years ago there was painting from Picasso's Blue Period was sold by Sothebys in London at that time for over Â£100million.

"And what happened to this painting by Picasso? They hid it somewhere so no-one could take it away. Nobody can see it.

"But a football player, you can see him once or twice a week, he is there, he is a star, he is being billed as a star. It is not the money he is getting, it's the money between the clubs.

"Okay, you might say it is too much, but you have to put it in context of what football in our society is worth and what other things in our society are worth."