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News update: 12/16/98

Newest IFHOC Inductees Announced!

WORLD CUP LEGENDS TO ENTER THE INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL HALL OF CHAMPIONS DURING ANNUAL CEREMONY

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, (December 15, 1998) - Five of the biggest football stars in the history of football and the World Cup will be inducted into the International Football Hall of Champions during the 1998 FIFA World Player Gala in Barcelona, Spain on February 1, 1999.

Just Fontaine, Gerd Müller, Garrincha, Bobby Moore, and Dino Zoff will join last year's inaugural class of 10 players inducted into this elite enshrinement during the upcoming 2nd annual induction ceremony. Also to be inducted during the ceremony will be manager Bill Shankly, referee Jack Taylor, Jacques Ferran in the media category, Fernand Sastre in The Good of the Game category, former FIFA president João Havelange in the Pioneer category, Ajax Amsterdam as a club team, and Germany as a national team.

Twenty-seven of the world's most prominent football journalists voted for this year's class of inductees. The following is the prestigious list of inductees they will be joining, some of whom will be present at this year's ceremony:

Players:	Franz Beckenbauer
	Stanley Matthews
	Bobby Charlton
	Pele
	Johan Cruyff
	Michel Platini
	Alfredo Di Stefano
	Ferenc Puskas
	Eusebio
	Lev Yashin
Managers:	Rinus Michels
	Matt Busby
Referee:	Michel Vautrot
Media:	Jacques Goddet
Pioneer:	Jules Rimet
Good of the Game:	Horst Dassler
Club Team:	Real Madrid
National Team:	Brazil

For the second straight year, the International Football Hall of Champions will hold its induction ceremony in a dual event with FIFA's World Player of the Year Award. This year's gala will take place at the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya in Barcelona and will be hosted by Don Balon.

The International Football Hall of Champions (IFHOC) is the only official FIFA-recognized and supported enshrinement to the sport of football. After a successful exhibit at the adidas Football Parc in Paris during World Cup France 98, IFHOC is currently making plans to build a permanent facility to justly honor and celebrate the rich history and steep traditions of world football.

For more information about the International Football Hall of Champions and the induction ceremony during the FIFA World Player Gala, please call 001-404-239-6288, or contact the web page at www.hallofchampions.com.

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