Minute's silence to precede World Cup opener

MUNICH, June 8 (Reuters) A minute's silence in memory of football figures who have died in the past year will be held before tomorrow's opening World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica in Munich.

The idea was put to Sepp Blatter, president of soccer's ruling body FIFA, by former World Cup-winning Argentina striker Leopolde Luque.

''He came to me and suggested this, that we remember all those we have lost in the last year,'' Blatter told the FIFA Congress today.

''I hope you will all agree to this.'' A round of applause at the International Congress Centre here gave full support to the plan.

A long list of former players, coaches and officials who have died in the past year, including Brazilian Tele Santana, Scotland's Jimmy Johnstone, Northern Ireland's George Best and England's Ron Greenwood, Johnny Haynes and Peter Osgood, was shown on a screen in the hall.

REUTERS