Spain prime minister calls soccer team to offer support
28/6/2006 14:48
Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, called the national
soccer team's manager, Luis Aragones, yesterday to express the government's
"affection and support" for the team, ahead of Tuesday's match with France, the
country soccer federation said.
The Spanish Football Federation (FEF) told
press that Zapatero would give the team all his support whatever the result of
the match: a knockout for a quarter finals place, in the Germany World
Cup.
The prime minister will watch the match at his official residence, the
Mocloa Palace, alongside his family.
Also on Tuesday, hundreds of municipal
authorities across the nation installed giant screens in public places to show
the match, which is taking place in the German city of Hannover. Autonomous
Communities and local mayors said they had reached a deal with Channels Six and
Four to broadcast the game.
Madrid has set up four screens, in Colon, Puerta
del Sol, Leganes and Coslada. The largest, in Puerta del Sol is 10.4 meters wide
by 6.8 high. Leganes, a famous bullfight arena, will open its doors to the
public two hours before the game, offering free television to up to 8,000
people.
Channel Six said it will also make its signal available to the pubic
in Zaragozas Plaza del Pilar, Valencia's Americas Cup Park and Santander's
Ayuntanmento Place.
While the local authorities of Cuenca, Cacares, Las
Palmas and Santa Cruz have already set up screens, many more have said they will
only do so if Spain reaches the quarter-finals.
Xinhua
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