EU leaders talk soccer at summit

BRUSSELS, June 16 (Reuters) The future of Europe was on the table but EU leaders seemed keener to talk about the World Cup as they kicked off a two-day summit in Brussels.

With the 25-nation EU divided on how or whether to revive a European Union constitution, the tournament was a main point of discussion in the corridors of a heads of state summit yesterday.

Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson said his country could not lose against England next Tuesday, whatever the score in their match, because England's manager is a Swede.

''Sweden will win either in the form of Sven-Goran Eriksson or the Swedish national team,'' he told reporters.

His British counterpart Tony Blair slipped out of the summit chamber to watch England beat Trinidad&Tobago 2-0.

''He saw the last 10 minutes of the first half, went into meeting, did his business, went out 10 minutes into the second half and watched the second half,'' his spokesman said.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel -- whose government is currently president of the EU -- dropped diplomatic niceties to criticise fellow bloc member France for its dull 0-0 draw with Switzerland on Tuesday, as well as world champions Brazil.

''The interesting thing is that the real favourites disappointed in the first round. Brazil for instance, or France.

But anyway, I am neutral as you know,'' he told reporters.

REUTERS PM VC0922