Former FIFA boss Blatter revels in visit to Putin

Sepp Blatter came to Moscow and saw Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, defying FIFA's wish that its suspended former president's visit to the World Cup would attract little attention.

Blatter says he went to see Russia's president after watching Portugal's 1-0 win over Morocco in Moscow on Wednesday - wearing the laminate fan ID card required for all people attending World Cup games in Russia.

"We had small talks," Blatter, who converses with Putin in German, told reporters today.

"We spoke about football and the good start of the competition, the good start of the team."
"To live these emotions for me was good, to say, 'He is still alive." And here I am."