Beckenbauer lashes FIFA as Germans unveil golden ball for World Cup final

FRANZ Beckenbauer lashed out at FIFA yesterday for its criticism of World Cup organisers and said Germany was ready to host the month-long tournament.

"The FIFA has words of criticism for the organising committee over and over again," said Beckenbauer, the president of the organising committee. "They're completely superfluous."

Asked what criticism he was referring to, Beckenbauer added: "It's the ticketing or whatever else." Beckenbauer was then pulled away from journalists by a press spokesman.