Fifa World Cup Germany 2006
Travolta to pilot Socceroos
Afp, Melbourne
Negotiations are being finalised to have Hollywood star John Travolta pilot the plane taking the Australian team to this year's World Cup finals in Germany, reports said Tuesday. Travolta, a qualified pilot and 'ambassador' of major team sponsor Qantas, was part of chaotic dressing-room celebrations after Australia beat Uruguay in Sydney in November to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 32 years. Travolta, who was filmed wearing an Australian team scarf and singing with the rejoicing Socceroos, made the offer at the time, but reports say the star's management and Football Federation Australian (FFA) officials are finalising details. FFA insiders told the Melbourne Age Tuesday an announcement was expected as soon as all the minor details were agreed. It was not clear whether Travolta would pilot the plane out of Australia or be part of the cockpit crew. The Age said the other option was for the Hollywood celebrity to be at the controls of the plane taking the team from its Dutch training camp to Germany in June. Australia is drawn in the same group as World Cup champions Brazil, Japan and Croatia and plays its first match in the finals since 1974 against Japan in Kaiser-slautern on June 12.
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